New Delhi: The Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan in a tweet has claimed that three aircraft of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) entered its Air Defense Identification Zone on Wednesday.
Taiwanese president, Tsai Ing-wen said that she has “faith” that the US will support the island nation if the Chinese military launches a strike, reported AFP. The president further confirmed that a small number of US troops are present in Taiwan to help with training.
While President Tsai Ing-wen showed her faith in the US, the country's Defense Minister said that Taiwan should not be entirely dependent on other countries.
AP reports, Taiwan's Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng in a statement on Thursday said: “The country must rely on itself, and if any friends or other groups can help us, then it’s like I said before, we’re happy to have it, but we cannot completely depend on it.”
The tussle between China and Taiwan has been escalating for decades as Mainland China claims Taiwan to be its part.
On Wednesday, China had said that Taiwan “has no rights to join the United Nations (UN).”
This statement by Beijing came a day after US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken expressed his concern that Taiwan has not been given a seat on the world stage. He asked members of the UN to increase Taiwan’s inclusion in more institutions of the UN.
In the aftermath of China's Civil War in 1949, the nationalists from Mainland China fled to the adjacent island now known as Taiwan.
Beijing however still considers Taiwan as its own part and believes the reunification will happen even by force if needed.
While Taiwan is garnering more support on the world stage, China has maintained its nationalistic stance. Chinese President Xi Jinping suggested that hints towards an invasion were not hypothetical, reported AFP.