Armored automobiles from Taiwan army forces parades in entrance of Taiwan’s presidential palace on the nation’s 110 birthday.
Alberto Buzzola | LightRocket | Getty Photos
China’s army threats in opposition to Taiwan will solely enhance assist for the island from the US and different democracies, the international ministry mentioned after China performed drills close by as U.S. lawmakers visited Taipei.
Beijing blamed the lawmakers, who included chairman of the Senate Overseas Relations Committee Bob Menendez, for elevating tensions with their “provocative” journey. China claims democratically dominated Taiwan as its personal territory.
In an announcement late on Friday, Taiwan’s Overseas Ministry condemned China’s “recalcitrant and ridiculous” response to the two-day go to, the primary by a gaggle of U.S. lawmakers this 12 months.
“The specter of pressure by the Chinese language Communist Celebration’s totalitarian authorities in opposition to Taiwan will solely strengthen the Taiwanese individuals’s will to defend freedom and democracy, and also will appeal to assist for democratic Taiwan from the US and much more democratic companions,” it mentioned.
Taiwan will proceed to deepen cooperation with the US and different like-minded international locations to defend the free and open Indo-Pacific area, and stop China’s “steady growth”, the ministry mentioned.
Senator Ben Sasse, one of many six bipartisan lawmakers who visited Taiwan and met President Tsai Ing-wen, mentioned in an announcement that China couldn’t bully the US or its elected representatives.
“The American individuals haven’t any love of tyrants and as an alternative instinctively assist the freedom-loving individuals of Taiwan,” he mentioned.
Taiwan has been heartened by the U.S. assist supplied by the Biden administration, which has repeatedly talked of its “rock-solid” dedication to the democratically ruled island.
Whereas the US has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it’s the island’s most vital worldwide supporter and arms provider. That has added to strains in Sino-U.S. relations.
Taiwan’s authorities says solely the island’s 23 million individuals can determine their future.
In a pre-recorded video message to a discussion board organized by Taiwan independence teams on Saturday, Tsai mentioned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine confirmed the menace democracies face from authoritarianism.
“Taiwan’s place is to uphold sovereignty, uphold democracy, stand with like-minded international locations, help one another, and contribute our energy,” she mentioned.
