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INTERN A TION AL

Taiwan president warns of ‘catastrophic

consequences’if island falls to China

Tsai Ing-wen says Taiwan will ‘do whatever it takes to defend itself’ against an increasingly

Taiwan is committed However she also urged other nations to
to defending its “understand the value of working with Taiwan”,
democracy against against the broader threat posed by Beijing. “And

an increasingly they should remember that if Taiwan were to fall,
aggressive China, the consequences would be catastrophic for regional
the island’s president peace and the democratic alliance system.”
has vowed, warning Beijing claims Taiwan as a province in China, and
of “catastrophic has pledged to take it, by force if necessary. It
consequences” for considers Tsai’s government to be separatists, but
the region should it she has said Taiwan is already a sovereign nation

fall. with no need to declare independence, and has no
wish for conflict.
The comments “Amid almost daily intrusions by the People’s
from Tsai Ing-wen, Liberation Army, our position on cross-strait
Tsai Ing-wen Photograph: Ann Wang/Reuters in an essay published relations remains constant: Taiwan will not bend

on Tuesday, came to pressure, but nor will it turn adventurist, even
amid record-breaking incursions by Chinese when it accumulates support from the international
warplanes into its air defence zone. On Tuesday community,” she said.
Taiwan’s premier, Su Tseng-chang, said the “over Few countries formally recognise Taiwan, a situation

the top” activity violated regional peace, and Taiwan which Tsai said had compelled Taiwan to think
needed to be on alert. asymmetrically, forming unofficial partnerships
China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has and agreements, and contributing to international
sent nearly 150 planes into Taiwan’s air defence bodies as a non-state party. With growing ties around
identification (ADIZ) zone in the first four days of the world, Taiwan was an increasingly important
October, in what mainland figures and media have democracy, trading partner and global supplier, and
labeled a demonstration of strength but which world a crucial segment of the first island chain, which

governments condemned as an act of intimidation stretches from northern Japan to Borneo, Tsai said.
and aggression.
A People’s Liberation Army Airforce J-16 fighter “Should this line be broken by force, the
Australia warns China against ‘threat or use of force’ consequences would disrupt international trade
following Taiwan air incursions and destabilise the entire western Pacific,” she said.
Read more “In other words, a failure to defend Taiwan would
Writing for Foreign Affairs magazine, Tsai stressed not only be catastrophic for the Taiwanese; it would
Taiwan’s desire for peace but said “if its democracy overturn a security architecture that has allowed for
and way of life are threatened, Taiwan will do peace and extraordinary economic development in

whatever it takes to defend itself” the region for seven decades.”

@BBC @CNN International @euronewsgreen

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