+ A
A -
AFP
Paris
Taiwan’s foreign minister Joseph Wu urged the international community on Wednesday to help defend his country and region against “expansionist” Chinese moves, saying Taipei feared Beijing would resort to force.
Taiwan was “on the front line defending democracies from being taken over by the communist China” and needed help from other countries, he told the France 24 TV station.
Wu said China “has been intensifying its military threat against Taiwan” in recent years and had stepped up military exercises in the region.
More than 30 Chinese military planes have recently crossed into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone, he said, describing this as “very threatening”.
“We have been trying very hard in the last few years to beef up our own defence capabilities and at the same time we also want to let the international community understand that Taiwan as a democracy has been threatened by China, which is an authoritarian country which is trying to expand its influence,” the minister said.
China views self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to one day seize it -- by force if necessary.
Paris
Taiwan’s foreign minister Joseph Wu urged the international community on Wednesday to help defend his country and region against “expansionist” Chinese moves, saying Taipei feared Beijing would resort to force.
Taiwan was “on the front line defending democracies from being taken over by the communist China” and needed help from other countries, he told the France 24 TV station.
Wu said China “has been intensifying its military threat against Taiwan” in recent years and had stepped up military exercises in the region.
More than 30 Chinese military planes have recently crossed into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone, he said, describing this as “very threatening”.
“We have been trying very hard in the last few years to beef up our own defence capabilities and at the same time we also want to let the international community understand that Taiwan as a democracy has been threatened by China, which is an authoritarian country which is trying to expand its influence,” the minister said.
China views self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to one day seize it -- by force if necessary.
