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Taiwan vows to 'counter-attack' if China's forces enter its territory
As Beijing increased military activities near Taiwan, the democratic island said on Wednesday (August 31) it would exercise its right to self defence and "counter-attack" if Chinese armed forces entered its territory.
According to Taiwan's defence ministry spokesperson Li-Fang Sun: "We will continue defending our national security, firmly holding on to the median line, and doing whatever it takes to protect our homes, our families, and our sovereignty."
After Pelosi's visit, China sent warships, missiles and fighter jets into the waters and skies around Taiwan, which condemned the drills and missile tests as preparation for an invasion.
Since then tensions in the Taiwan Strait have soared to their highest level in decades.
Taiwanese defence officials said China's "high intensity" military patrols near Taiwan continued and Beijing's intention of making the Taiwan Strait separating the two sides its "inner sea" would become the main source of instability in the region.
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"For aircraft and ships that entered our sea and air territory of 12 nautical miles, the national army will exercise right to self-defence and counter attack without exception," Lin Wen-Huang, deputy chief of the general staff for operations and planning, told reporters at a news briefing.
On Tuesday (August 30), President Tsai Ing-wen said at an air base in Taiwan's outlying Penghu County that she had ordered Taiwan's military to take necessary and strong countermeasures against China's provocations.
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