New Delhi, March 7 (ANI) — Vincent Yi-hsiang Chao, Deputy Secretary-General of Taiwan’s National Security Council, warned that the conflict in the Middle East is producing wide-ranging economic and security effects that will reach Taiwan. He said tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran are already having global consequences and could affect Taiwan’s energy supplies, economy and financial markets.
Chao said Taipei views developments in West Asia through the prism of its immediate interest: maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He called for a swift end to the fighting in the Middle East so Taiwan can remain focused on deterring conflict in the Indo-Pacific.
He emphasized continued diplomatic coordination, noting Taiwan will stay in close contact with the United States and other partners and allies in the region. On supply chains, Chao said Taiwan has been reducing reliance on volatile regions, increasing imports from the United States and strengthening ties with Southeast Asia.
At the same time, he warned that countries dependent on Middle Eastern oil and gas remain vulnerable. No nation should be over-leveraged in such a volatile area, he said, and Taiwan is taking steps to diversify trade and manage those risks. Nonetheless, many energy-dependent countries are likely to continue feeling significant impacts from instability in the Middle East.
