Taiwanese Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu on Monday warned that Xi Jinping‘s threat against Taiwan is much more serious than what is visible. Wu said Taiwan is emboldened by Ukraine’s “incredible determination” to protect its sovereignty, according to PTI. He added that it is imperative for all democratic nations to collaboratively address China’s expansionist ambitions and its assertive military actions.
“I am not sure whether the Chinese have been seeing the Ukrainian war the way other countries are seeing it. Russia, with one of the largest militaries in the world, is having difficulties in its invasion of Ukraine,” Wu said.
“Many people anticipated that the war would end in a week or two. But it dragged on for more than one year already and that is a good lesson for China,” he said.
Wu wanted to send a clear message to Xi to recognize the challenges and complexities associated with initiating a war against Taiwan, emphasizing that China does not have any guarantee to win.
“If they understand, they should refrain from using military threats against Taiwan. One thing we keep reminding the world that any war, especially in this part of the world, might impact upon the rest of the world,” he said.
Taiwan and its Western allies have repeatedly warned that Xi is learning from Vladimir Putin‘s war in Ukraine and can attack the island nation soon.
Beijing has long desired reunification with Taiwan, which remains a top priority for the Xi-led Chinese administration. China considers Taiwan a renegade province and has not ruled out using force to take control.A recent report revealed that Xi is reportedly setting a timeline for the annexation of Taiwan, a move that could potentially escalate regional tensions.
Produced in association with Benzinga
Edited by Bilal Zafar Ranjha and Judy J. Rotich and Newsdesk Manager