Relations between Taiwan and China have not been at their best, especially in recent years. Following the threats made by China to possibly invade the island nation, a member of Taiwan’s parliament has pushed back, warning Beijing of the repercussions it will face.
Speaking with Express, Taiwanese MP Wang Ting-yu, a member of the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, pushed back against China’s threats to invade the island nation. China considers Taiwan as part of its territory and has been engaging in a pressure campaign to get the island nation and its democratic government to submit to Beijing’s sovereignty over the nation. Taiwan has resisted the pressure so far, and Wang has explained the reasoning behind Taiwan’s defense in case of a military conflict between the two sides.
Wang also warned China that any attempt to annex Taiwan would cost time and lives. Wang explained the island nation’s role in the supply chain and trade when he made the warning.
“They have to understand if they dare to invade Taiwan they will lose their important economic area near the seaside and we need to make them understand he cannot invade Taiwan successfully or according to their announcement, within a couple of days, it is impossible,” said Wang.
“It takes time, it takes resources, it takes lives, so we have to make Taiwan like a hedgehog,” Wang continued. “If you want to bite us, yes, you are big we are small, but if you dare to bite Taiwan, our sting will make you bleed.”
China has ramped up the pressure on Taiwan with its repeated incursions into the island nation’s airspace. Over the weekend,16 Chinese warplanes once again made an incursion over Taiwan’s airspace. Taiwanese authorities quickly responded by sending their own aircraft and issuing radio signals.
10 were Shenyang J-16 fighter planes. The remaining six were Chengdu J-10 fighter planes. Both can handle air to air combat and carry out bombing missions.
Reports of the incursion have since circulated online. Some netizens have accused Beijing of continuing its provocations. Some have only warned that these increasing acts from China will only lead to more international support for Taiwan.