Taiwan's Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng, Breaking Through News
Written by: Sam Orlando
As tensions between Taiwan and China continue to rise, Taiwan's Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng has warned that the island should prepare for a "sudden entry" of Chinese forces. This comes as China has been sending near-daily incursions into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ).
While the Chinese military has not yet crossed into Taiwan's contiguous zone, Defense Minister Chiu said that Taiwan is preparing to "fire the first shot" if Chinese forces do enter into their territory. Speaking about China's motivations, Chiu suggested that China is looking to "make trouble under a certain pretext", such as foreign government officials visiting Taiwan, or Taiwan's foreign relationships or contacts.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded to the comments, stating that China "will take firm measures to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity".
The situation has caused concern among experts who are questioning whether the United States can handle a potential full-scale war with China over Taiwanese independence, while also dealing with Russia's war on Ukraine.
As the tensions continue to simmer, on March 1, 2023, the State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Taiwan of F-16 munitions and related equipment for an estimated cost of $619 million. The world watches with bated breath as the situation in Taiwan unfolds.
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