TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan will fight to the end if China attacks, its foreign minister said on Wednesday, adding that the United States sees a danger that this could happen amid increasing Chinese military pressure, including airstrikes, near the island.
The Chinese-alleged Taiwan has complained in recent months about repeated military activity through Beijing, with the Chinese air force descending into Taiwan’s air defense zone almost daily. On Monday, China said an aircraft carrier group was practicing near the island.
“From my limited understanding of the American decision-makers who are watching the developments in this region, they clearly see the danger that China could launch an attack on Taiwan,” Joseph Wu told reporters.
‘We are prepared to defend ourselves without any questions, and we will wage war if we have to fight the war. And if we have to defend ourselves until the last day, we will defend ourselves until the last day. ”
Washington, Taiwan’s major international aid and arms supplier, has urged Taipei to modernize its military so that it can become a “porcupine” that is difficult for China to attack.
Wu said they are determined to improve their military capabilities and spend more on defense.
“The defense of Taiwan is our responsibility. We will do everything in our power to improve our defensive ability. ”
The Taiwan Defense Ministry said in a separate rally that it would hold eight days of computer-backed war games from a Chinese attack on Taiwan, which forms the first phase of Taiwan’s largest annual war games, the Han Kuang exercises.
A second phase, including live fire drills, will take place in July.
“The drills were designed based on the most difficult enemy threats, simulating all possible scenarios during a hostile invasion of Taiwan,” Major General Liu Yu-Ping told reporters.
The second phase of the war games in Taiwan involves the mobilization of about 8,000 reservists to join the fire, anti-landing drills and hospitals training to deal with the influx of heavy casualties.
Asked whether Washington’s de facto embassy, the US institute in Taiwan, would send representatives to the exercises, Liu said such a plan would be ‘discussed’ but ‘not implemented’, citing military sensitivity.
Taiwan did not say where the Chinese airline group is currently, and whether it is going along the controversial South China Sea, where a U.S. airline group is currently.
In parliament, Deputy Defense Minister Chang Che-ping said the Chinese carrier’s movements were being closely monitored and described the exercises as routine.
Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee; Additional reporting by Roger Tung; Edited by Simon Cameron-Moore