One day after China simulated “joint precision strikes” on Taiwan during military exercises around the island, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu criticised Beijing’s activities in an exclusive interview with CNN and warned that “they seem to be trying to get ready to launch a war against Taiwan.”

“Look at the military exercises, and also their language, they seem to be attempting to get ready to launch a war against Taiwan,” Wu added.

“The Taiwanese administration looks at the Chinese military threat as something that cannot be condoned and we reject it.”

Asked if Taiwan has any understanding of the timeframe of probable Chinese military action, given US intelligence estimates that Xi has commanded his military to be prepared by 2027, Wu voiced confidence in Taiwanese preparedness.

“Chinese officials will consider twice before they decide to use force against Taiwan. And no matter whether it is 2025 or 2027 or even beyond, Taiwan just needs to prepare ready,” he said.

The exercises looked to mark the first time the Chinese navy had simulated strikes by aircraft carrier-based warplanes on Taiwan.

Beijing initiated the drills on Saturday, a day after Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen returned from a 10-day visit to Central America and the United States where she met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other US politicians.

China described them as “a strong warning against the Taiwan separatist forces’ cooperation with overseas forces, and a necessary step to preserve national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Asked if the expenditures of such a visit were too costly, Wu told CNN, “China cannot dictate how Taiwan builds relationships. And China cannot dictate how our friends wish to demonstrate solidarity to Taiwan.”

Beijing conducted similar large-scale military exercises surrounding Taiwan last August, when then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island.

Previous exercises featured Chinese missile launches over the island, something that has not been witnessed so far in the current drills.

Taiwan and China have been ruled independently since the end of a civil war more than seven decades ago, in which the defeated Nationalists fled to Taipei. Taiwan shifted from authoritarian rule to a democracy in the 1990s and is now named one of the freest jurisdictions in Asia by Freedom House, a US-based non-profit organisation.

Yet, the self-governing island is claimed by China’s ruling Communist Party as part of its territory. As his influence has increased recently, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has made apparent his desire to “reunify” with the island, using force if necessary.

The worst thing would be to believe that we Europeans must follow Americans or Chinese overreactions on this issue, Macron said reporters after his discussion, appearing to query if France should get involved in the Taiwan conflict. Later, French officials claimed that his remarks were misconstrued. CNN was informed by Wu that Taipei has enquired about this with France.

Wu stated, despite the fact that “the French government has been demonstrating support to Taiwan,” that “we are still trying to figure out what he says and what that means through the French government.”

President Joseph Biden has stated that the US would defend the island militarily if China were to strike, despite administration officials insisting that the US is still committed to its “one China” policy as tensions between the US and China over Taiwan have risen.

Via the Taiwan Relations Act, the US is required by law to give Taiwan defence weapons, although authorities frequently purposefully avoid saying whether the US will support Taiwan in the case of a Chinese attack attempt.

Wu emphasised numerous times that “defending Taiwan is our own responsibility,” but he also noted that given the way that the United States and its regional allies are related, “the United States seem to be more determined than ever to create a situation (so) that China would know that its military attack against Taiwan is going to be associated with a heavy cost.” And we value the United States’ position on this.

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