Taiwan says China's threats will see support for island rise
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TAIPEI • China's military threats against Taiwan will only increase support for the island from the United States and other democracies, said Taiwan's Foreign Ministry after China conducted drills nearby as US lawmakers visited Taipei.
Beijing blamed the lawmakers, who included chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez, for raising tensions with their "provocative" trip.
China regards Taiwan as a renegade province to be reunified, by force if necessary.
In a statement on Friday, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry condemned China's "recalcitrant and ridiculous" reaction to the visit, the first by a group of US lawmakers this year.
"The threat of force by the Chinese Communist Party's totalitarian government against Taiwan will only strengthen the Taiwanese people's will to defend freedom and democracy, and will also attract support for democratic Taiwan," it said.
Taiwan will continue to deepen cooperation with the US and other like-minded countries to defend the free and open Indo-Pacific region, and prevent China's "continuous expansion", the ministry said.
Senator Ben Sasse, one of the six bipartisan lawmakers who visited Taiwan and met President Tsai Ing-wen, said in a statement that China could not bully the US or its elected representatives.
"The American people have no love of tyrants and instead instinctively support the freedom-loving people of Taiwan," he said.
The Biden administration has repeatedly talked of its "rock-solid" commitment to the democratically governed island.
While the US has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it is the island's most important international supporter and arms supplier. That has added to strains in Sino-US relations.
In a pre-recorded video message to a forum organised by Taiwan independence groups yesterday, Ms Tsai said Russia's invasion of Ukraine showed the threat that democracies face from authoritarianism.
"Taiwan's position is to uphold sovereignty, uphold democracy, stand with like-minded countries, assist each other, and contribute our strength," she said.
REUTERS