While the island faces a record number of military aircraft incursions from Beijing, Tsai Ing-Wen is determined by this “that no one can force Taiwan to take the path traced by China”.
Le Monde with AFP and Reuters
Taiwan will continue to strengthen its defenses so that no one can force the island to accept the path that China has traced it, said Sunday, October 10, President Tsai Ing-Wen during a speech delivered to the opportunity of the National Day.
The island reports in recent days of a record number of military aircraft incursions from Beijing. One hundred and fifty Chinese military apparatus, including nuclear-capped H-6 bombers, have made incursions into the island’s air defense identification area (ADIZ) in the days before and follow October 1, date of the National holiday in China.
“We hope to appease between our two countries and will not believe irreflectedly, but we must not believe that the Taiwanese people will give up to the pressure,” she added.
“We will continue to strengthen our defenses and show our determination to defend ourselves in order to ensure that no one can force Taiwan to take the path that China has traced us. Indeed, this path does not offer neither a mode of Free and democratic life in Taiwan, nor sovereignty to our 23 million inhabitants. “
China promises an inescapable” reunification “
The 23 million inhabitants of Taiwan live under the constant threat of an invasion of China, which considers this territory as one of its provinces. Beijing threatens to resort to force in case the island formally proclaims its independence.
Since the arrival of Chinese President Xi Jinping, tensions are at their highest level for four decades. The day before, the latter had evoked an inevitable “reunification” with Taiwan by “peaceful” means.
Any official communication with Taipei has been broken since the election in 2016 of M me Tsai, Beijing intensify the economic, diplomatic and military pressure on the territory. M me Tsai is hated by Beijing because she considers Taiwan as an “already independent” country, and rejects the principle of one China “.
She proposed talks with Beijing, who rejected them, and Sunday she reiterated her call to a dialogue “equal to equal” with China. However, it warned that everything that could happen to Taiwan would have major regional and global consequences.