Chinese Defense Minister Wu Qian warned that with each new provocation by Taiwan in favor of independence, Beijing’s countermeasures will go further.
This Friday, China accused Taiwan’s new leader, William Lai, of pushing the island, whose sovereignty Beijing claims, into “war”, at a time when the The Chinese army carries out exercises throughout the territory.
Taiwan surrounded by dozens of fighter jets and Chinese navy ships for second day
“Since taking office, the leader of the Taiwan region has seriously undermined the ‘One China’ principle, attempted to use force, and relied on foreign countries to gain independencewhich is pushing our compatriots in Taiwan into a dangerous situation of war and danger,” Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said in a statement.
Opposition criticizes Taiwan’s new leader’s “two-country doctrine”
The ministry warned that with each new provocation by Taiwan in favor of independence, Beijing’s countermeasures will go further.
“Every time the independence movement provokes us, we will go one step further with our countermeasuresuntil the complete reunification of the motherland is achieved,” said Wu Qian.
Taiwan located dozens of Chinese fighter planes and military ships off its coast this Friday, on the second consecutive day of military exercises throughout the territory.
Mainland China has released detailed details about the drills showing Taiwan surrounded by forces from the People’s Liberation Army, the country’s armed forces.
Navy and Coast Guard vessels and air missile units and ground forces were put on alert, particularly around the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen and Matsu island chains, located off the Chinese coast and away from the main island of Taiwan, about 160 kilometers from the strait.
“In the face of external challenges and threats, we will continue maintain the values of freedom and democracy”The territory’s new leader, William Lai, told sailors and security officials on Thursday during his visit to a naval base in Taoyuan, south of Taipei.
In his inauguration speech on Monday, Lai called on Beijing to end military intimidation and stated that Taiwan was “a sovereign and independent nation, where sovereignty is in the hands of the people.”
Lai Ching-te, of the independence party, wins the elections in Taiwan with 40% of the votes and promises to respond to “Chinese intimidation”
The beginning ‘One Chinese’ declares that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of China, but Beijing and Taipei maintain different interpretations.
Taiwan, a destination for farmers and fishermen from the Chinese provinces of Fujian and Guangdong over the centuries, has been under Dutch, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese rule. At the end of World War II, the territory joined the Republic of China, under the nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek.
After defeat against the communist partyDuring the Chinese civil war in 1949, the nationalist government took refuge on the island, which maintains, until this Friday, the official name of the Republic of China, as opposed to the People’s Republic of China, the regime that then came to prevail. in mainland China.
The territory operates as a sovereign political entity, with its own diplomacy and military, despite not being officially independent. Beijing considers the island its province, which must be reunified, by force if necessary.
“I hope China faces the reality of the existence of the Republic of China [nome oficial de Taiwan] and, with good will, choose dialogue over confrontation,” said William Lai, during his inauguration speech.
Source: Observadora
