BEIJING – Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen says the likelihood remains forChina to launch an attack on the self-ruled island, which is recognized bymost world countries as Chinese territory, Press TV has reported.
“No one can exclude this possibility. We will need to see whether theirpolicymakers are reasonable policymakers or not,” Tsai said in a lateMonday interview on Taiwan television in response to a question on whetherthere was a chance that China would attack Taiwan.
“When you consider it from a regional perspective, any reasonablepolicymaker will have to very carefully deliberate as to whether launchingwar is an option,” she added.Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen (photo by AFP)
Tsai claimed Taiwan was “carefully following” Chinese activity near theisland.
“When our government faces resistance and pressure from China, we will findour method to resist this. This is very important,” she said.
China considers Taiwan a breakaway province. Relations have soured sinceTsai, of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, rose to powertwo years ago following a presidential election.
China believes Tsai intends to press for formal independence of the island,which is a red line for Beijing, but she has publicly noted a desire formaintaining the status quo and ensuring peace.Taiwanese amphibious assault vehicles release smoke during the “Han Kuang”(Han Glory) life-fire drill near the outlying Penghu Islands on May 25,2017. (Photo by AFP)
China has held military drills around Taiwan in recent months, causingalarm in Taipei. Beijing, however, describes the exercises as routine, butinsists that it will not tolerate any attempt by the island to declareindependence.
Although China has discontinued a formal dialog mechanism with Taiwan, Tsaifurther acknowledged that both sides currently had a method forcommunications to avert misunderstanding.
While Taiwan continues to press the US — its key weapons supplier — toprovide more advanced armaments, it has also been trying to enhance its ownweapons programs in efforts to avoid what Tsai described as “certainpolitical difficulties” that come with purchasing arms from overseas inface of Chinese opposition.
The Taiwanese president further said that she believed Taiwan wouldeventually gain the capability of manufacturing its own submarines,something Taipei has long desired to face China’s navy.