Taipei [Taiwan] Aug 26 Taiwan has cautioned democracies against joining China's upcoming military parade, warning that Beijing could exploit the event to fracture democratic unity, Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Shen You-chung said, according to the Taipei Times.
China plans to stage a parade on September 3 to commemorate the end of World War Two, 80 years ago.
The spectacle is expected to feature tens of thousands of participants and showcase the People's Liberation Army's most advanced military equipment.
According to the Taipei Times, the South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has declined Xi Jinping's invitation, though he will send National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo in his place. Whether such actions will be acceptable to key allies like the US and Japan remains uncertain, Shen said.
So far, Slovakia is the only European Union member state confirmed to take part. Shen urged free and democratic nations to boycott or even publicly condemn the event, stressing that China could seize the moment to drive wedges between like-minded governments, the Taipei Times stated.
Shen further emphasised that China's military and economic growth highlights its growing threat in the Indo-Pacific. The Taiwan-based media outlet also reported that while the US once outspent China in defence by a wide margin, Beijing has rapidly closed the gap.
Nearly 90 per cent of China's defence spending is concentrated in the Indo-Pacific, particularly along the India-China border, a fact Shen said underscores why Washington and its allies must remain vigilant.
Meanwhile, the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) handled 94 incidents between January and last month concerning the personal safety of Taiwanese businesspeople in China, according to a report by the Taipei Times.
The cases involved issues such as restrictions on freedom due to legal disputes, medical evacuations, lost or expired documents, and even matters related to funerals and compensation.