Taiwan Vows To Counterattack If Chinese Forces Enter Its Territory
Taiwan said, on Wednesday, that it would exercise its right to self-defense and launch a counterattack if Chinese forces entered its territory, as Beijing ramped up military activities near the self-ruled island.
Beijing - which says Taiwan is part of its territory - held military exercises around the island this August in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei.
Taiwan Defense Ministry officials said that "high-intensity" Chinese military patrols near the island are continuing and that Beijing's intention to make the Taiwan Strait - which separates the two sides - an "inland sea" - will be the main source of instability in the region.
"For the planes and ships that have entered our 12 nautical-mile space, the national army will exercise the right of self-defense and counterattack without exception," Lin Wenhuang, deputy chief of the General Staff for Operations and Planning, told a news briefing.
Increasing military spending
Taiwan proposed this August an increase in defense spending, including money for new combat aircraft, after weeks of Chinese activities that included missile launches over Taipei.
Taiwan's forces are well-equipped, but little equipped compared to their Chinese counterparts, and President Tsai Ing-wen is overseeing a development program and has made increasing defense spending one of her priorities.
China has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control.
Taipei rejects Beijing's claims to sovereignty, saying that the People's Republic of China has never ruled the island and that only the people of Taiwan have the right to decide on their own future.
Chinese pressure
At a regular press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian reiterated Beijing's position that Taiwan is an integral part of its territory.
"First of all, I want to tell you that Taiwan is a Chinese territory and there is no so-called defense ministry," he said, accusing the Taiwan authorities of meaninglessly raising tensions.
In the same briefing, the director of the National Defense University Military Academy Ma Chengkun said that China may move to refuse the passage of foreign naval ships through the strait without its permission.
He added that after the consolidation of the new military situation, the risk of collision would increase if foreign naval ships insisted on the rights and freedom of navigation.
US and allied warships such as Britain and Canada have routinely sailed through the strait in recent years, including two Navy warships.
Taiwan said on Wednesday it would exercise its right to self-defense and launch a counterattack if Chinese forces entered its territory, as Beijing ramped up military activities near the self-ruled island.
Beijing - which says Taiwan is part of its territory - held military exercises around the island this August in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei.
Taiwan Defense Ministry officials said that "high-intensity" Chinese military patrols near the island are continuing and that Beijing's intention to make the Taiwan Strait - which separates the two sides - an "inland sea" - will be the main source of instability in the region.
"For the planes and ships that have entered our 12 nautical-mile space, the national army will exercise the right of self-defense and counterattack without exception," Lin Wenhuang, deputy chief of the General Staff for Operations and Planning, told a news briefing.
