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Tsai Ing-wen says Taiwan won’t provoke Beijing, but ‘countermeasures’ possible
- The island’s leader tells troops that Taipei ‘will exercise self-restraint, but it does not mean that we will not counter’
- Tsai says she has ordered Taiwan’s defence ministry to take ‘necessary and strong’ steps to defend the island’s airspace
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The more Beijing provokes, the calmer Taiwan must be, but restraint does not mean there cannot be “strong countermeasures” if needed, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said on Tuesday while visiting frontline forces based on islands in the sensitive Taiwan Strait.
Mainland China, which claims Taiwan as its territory despite the strong objections of the government in Taipei, carried out military exercises around the island this month after a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Visiting a major air and naval base on the Penghu islands in the Taiwan Strait, Tsai praised the armed forces for their tireless efforts to protect Taiwan and condemned Beijing for its drills and intimidation.
“I want to tell everyone that the more the enemy provokes, the more calm we must be,” Tsai told naval officers.
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“We will not provoke disputes, and we will exercise self-restraint, but it does not mean that we will not counter.
“I have ordered the Ministry of National Defence to take necessary and strong countermeasures in a timely manner to defend the safety of the country’s airspace,” Tsai said, without elaborating.
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No shots have been fired, and Taiwan’s government has repeatedly said it has responded calmly to Beijing’s activities.
04:45
Taiwanese president calls mainland China military exercises ‘irresponsible’ as PLA missiles fly
Taiwanese president calls mainland China military exercises ‘irresponsible’ as PLA missiles fly
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