Taiwan warns of China’s provocations,China declares red line
2023.03.07 03:39
Taiwan warns of China’s provocations,China declares red line
By Kristina Sobol
Budrigannews.com – Taiwan’s defense minister said on Tuesday that China will not tolerate “repeated provocations.” China’s foreign minister said Taiwan was the “first red line” in Sino-U.S. relations that should not be crossed.
China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, so Beijing has increased diplomatic and military pressure on Taipei to accept Chinese sovereignty over the past three years.
Two sources told Reuters that Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen plans to meet the current House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the United States in the coming weeks. In August, China staged war games near Taiwan to protest Pelosi’s visit to Taipei.
Taiwan Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng told reporters at parliament that he was unaware of a planned meeting between Tsai and McCarthy.
Chiu stated, “The Chinese communists use any reason to send troops.” However, we won’t simply say “bring it on.” We will proceed rationally and peacefully.”
He added that Taiwan’s military is prepared to fight, despite its hope that this will not occur.
Chiu stated, “The armed forces’ job is to fight if the Chinese communists move again.” We will not tolerate repeated threats against us. That is unacceptable to us.
Tsai has previously visited the United States as a stopover on her way to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that have formal diplomatic ties to Taiwan. However, the government of Taiwan has not announced a Tsai visit to the United States.
On Tuesday, Taiwan’s foreign ministry stated that it had nothing to announce at this time but would do so at a later time regarding any overseas trips the president might take. A meeting with Tsai has also not been confirmed by McCarthy.
In Beijing, Chinese Unfamiliar Pastor Qin Group said it was “ludicrous” for U.S. authorities to say that Taiwan is definitely not an inner undertaking of China’s.
On the sidelines of China’s annual meeting of parliament, he stated, “The Taiwan question is the core of the core interests of China, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations.”
“The cause of the Taiwan question lies squarely with the United States of America.”
According to Qin, China will continue to work toward “peaceful reunification,” but it reserves the right to take any and all necessary measures.
“The Chinese people’s steadfast resolve, strong will, and formidable capability to preserve national sovereignty and territorial integrity should never be underestimated,”
Although the government of Taiwan strongly disagrees with China’s territorial claims, it has repeatedly offered to talk to Beijing and maintains that only the people of Taiwan can decide their own future.
According to one of the sources, if the U.S. meeting goes ahead, which is likely to take place in April, it does not necessarily mean that McCarthy will not visit Taiwan in the future.
Four additional sources, including U.S. officials and people who know what the U.S. and Taiwan administrations think, said that both sides were very worried that McCarthy’s upcoming visit would make things even worse across the Taiwan Strait at a time when the island is getting ready for its own presidential election in January of next year.
