TAIPEI (Reuters) – A senior Taiwan security official said on Monday pressure on Taiwan from China is “not light”, after China began a new round of war games around the island.
Speaking at an international forum on Chinese politics being held in Taipei, National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu said, “we need to stay alert at all times. We will stay moderate and responsible, maintain staus quo across the Taiwan Strait.”
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, calls Taiwan President Lai Ching-te a “separatist”. Lai and his government reject Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.
“Leaders around the world talk more than ever about the need for peace and stability across Taiwan Strait,” Wu said. “Taiwan will continue to seek possibilities for talks with China.”
Last week at his keynote national day speech, Lai said the People’s Republic of China had no right to represent Taiwan, but that the island was willing to work with Beijing to combat challenges like climate change, striking both a firm and conciliatory tone, drawing anger from China.
China staged war games around Taiwan in May shortly after Lai’s inauguration, saying it was “punishment” for separatist content in his speech, and Chinese warplanes and warships operate near the island on an almost daily basis.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Stephen Coates)
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