Taiwan’s President Tells China That War Is “Absolutely Not An Option”

Authored by Aldgra Fredly via The Epoch Times,

Taiwan’s president has ruled out armed confrontation with China, saying that her government is willing to engage with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to reach a “mutually agreeable arrangement.”

In her national address on Monday, President Tsai Ing-wen said it was “regrettable” that China had escalated its military intimidation, diplomatic pressure, and trade obstructions to remove Taiwan’s sovereignty.

“I want to make clear to the Beijing authorities that armed confrontation is absolutely not an option for our two sides,” Tsai remarked.

“Only by respecting the commitment of the Taiwanese people to our sovereignty, democracy, and freedom can there be a foundation for resuming constructive interaction across the Taiwan Strait,” she added.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory despite Taiwan being a sovereign nation with a democratically elected government, and has vowed to conquer Taiwan by force if necessary.

The CCP has launched military drills near Taiwan after a controversial visit by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in August, firing multiple ballistic missiles over Taiwan and imposing a blockade of its international sea.

Tsai said that Taiwan is willing to negotiate with China to restore peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, but that it must not compromise the freedom and democracy of the Taiwanese people.

“The broadest consensus among the Taiwanese people and our various political parties is that we must defend our national sovereignty and our free and democratic way of life. On this point, we have no room for compromise,” she said.

Bolstering Defense Capabilities

Tsai has made bolstering Taiwan’s defense capabilities as a top priority as she seeks to ensure that her country is “fully prepared” to respond to external military threats.

Taiwan has been boosting defense spending and increasing its mass production of precision missiles and high-performance naval vessels, as well as its military modernization efforts, the president said.

“Through our actions, we are sending a message to the international community that Taiwan will take responsibility for our own self-defense, that we will not leave anything to fate, and that we will work with our allies to jointly maintain security and stability in the region,” she said.

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