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Joseph Wu, Taiwan’s foreign minister, made the claim yesterday during an interview with India’s WION News. He referred to a significant increase in Chinese military aircraft entering Taiwan’s aerial identification zone as an example of intensifying activity in the region.
Wu also said that Taiwan was developing its own military capabilities in response.
On Beijing’s army, the Foreign Minister told WION News’ Palki Sharma: “They are not only trying to develop their missile capabilities, but they are also trying to develop their conventional capabilities.
“I think the target is Taiwan, there is no doubt about that.
“They are also trying to intensify their military activities in Taiwan. In recent months, we have seen that Chinese military activities, especially activities in the air, have increased enormously. “
He accused China of sending planes across the median line dividing the Taiwan Strait, a border that, he said, “has been safeguarding peace and stability and the status quo for decades.”
He said Taiwan is increasing its own defense forces “to prevent China from thinking that they can take Taiwan too quickly.”
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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian warned yesterday that China “would make a legitimate and necessary reaction in light of the development of the situation.”
He added that the arms sale “seriously interferes in China’s internal affairs” and “sends seriously wrong signals to Taiwan’s independence forces.”
Taiwan is considered an independent country, although China sees it as a “renegade province,” reports the BBC.
China already warned against ties between the United States and Taiwan this year after two Trump administration officials visited the island nation in recent months.
Yesterday, Wu took to Twitter to thank US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for the “friendship” between the two countries.
He added: “Mutual support gives us the courage we so badly need to continue to be a force for good in the world.”
Last week Robert O’Brien, national security adviser to US President Donald Trump, suggested that he did not believe that China currently wants to attack Taiwan.
He told the Aspen Security Forum: “I don’t know what they would gain from that.”
However, he warned that Beijing could use other actions against Taiwan, such as embargoes.
He added: “What we told our Taiwanese friends is to know all this, whether there is an amphibious landing, a missile attack, a gray zone type operation, they really need to fortify themselves.”
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