Taiwan will take countermeasures to China's provocations, says Tsai Ing-wen

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen warned that the island would take countermeasures against China’s provocations. This follows the increased provocative actions Beijing has taken in the latest flare of tensions.

During a visit to military forces Tuesday on the Penghu Islands, Tsai criticized the Chinese drone and Beijing’s “grey zone warfare” activities near the island. Tsai warned that the island’s defenses are prepared to take countermeasures, but did not specify what the countermeasures were.

“I want to tell everyone that the more the enemy provokes, the more calm we must be,” said Tsai. “We will not provoke disputes and we will exercise self-restraint, but it does not mean that we will not counter.”

The officers who were accompanying Tsai told reporters that the island’s warships and warplanes that are based on Penghu have already been going out armed with live ammunition since China started its military drills this month.

The officers noted that they had not opened fire despite provocations from Chinese fishing vessels near the drill zone, asking to be hit.

Shortly after Tsai’s warning, the Taiwanese military fired warning shots at the Chinese drone buzzing an offshore islet. This marks the first time such warning shots were taken amidst a time of increased tensions between China and Taiwan. China claims to have sovereignty over the island, which Taiwan has repeatedly rejected.

Beijing also ramped up its military drills close to the island following the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi this month, defying China’s threats not to do so.

China has criticized the visit of any foreign dignitary to the island. More US officials have since visited Taiwan following Pelosi’s visit as Taiwan has received strong bipartisan support from the US Congress.

Tsai also met with Guatemalan foreign minister Mario Bucaro Tuesday, who pledged the nation’s support for Taiwan. Bucaro told Tsai that both Guatemala and Taiwan are “like-minded countries” that are united by a “democratic alliance.”

“Guatemala will always support Taiwan because we have a firm belief in the principles of peace, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” said Bucario. “Peace is non-negotiable, but especially sovereignty is non-negotiable.”

While Bucario did not mention China, the top Guatemalan diplomat said his visit to the democratically-governed island was about showing solidarity to the Taiwanese people, believing that only dialogue could succeed.