Beijing has also stepped up efforts to isolate Taiwan on the international stage in recent years.
Taipei, Taiwan:
Taiwan’s president on Saturday urged China to curb its “military misadventure”, with tensions between the two sides at their highest level in years.
Beijing has increased military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan since Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016, as it rejects the stance that the island is Chinese territory.
Chinese warplanes have made historical incursions into Taiwan’s air defenses in recent months.
Tsai said in her New Year’s speech, officials in Beijing should “stop the spread of military misadventure within their ranks”.
“The use of military means is absolutely not a substitute for resolving differences between our two sides.”
Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory, and has vowed to one day seize it by force if necessary.
President Xi Jinping declared in his New Year’s address that “the complete reunification of our motherland is an aspiration shared by the people” in both China and Taiwan.
Taiwan’s defense ministry warned in October that military tensions with China were at their highest level in four decades after a record number of Chinese jets entered its air defense area.
Beijing has also stepped up efforts to isolate Taiwan on the international stage in recent years.
It regards any formal declaration of an “independent” Taiwan as a provocation and repeatedly threatens consequences for countries that support Taipei in its self-determination.
Beijing has encouraged Taiwan’s dwindling diplomatic allies to switch sides.
Recently, Nicaragua recognized Beijing over Taipei, and China opened its embassy in the Central American nation on Friday.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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