Taiwan getting ready for war with China: Report

BEIJING: As China is increasing its military activities near Taiwan in line with its stated goal of reintegrating it with the mainland, Taipei also started taking concrete steps to defend and train itself in preparation for a "real war scenario," The Singapore Post reported.

Understanding China's real intentions, Taipei has started its military preparations. Earlier, on Sunday, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen warned Beijing that the island belongs to its people and that Taiwan's existence was a provocation to no one. Taiwan had shifted its purchases of large military platforms and systems, like fighter jets and naval vessels, to smaller lethal anti-ship and surface-to-air-missiles, reported The Singapore Post citing local media.

Like Chinese President Xi Jinping called its military to focus on preparing for war, the Taiwanese leader also said that she had not "surrendered" to Xi's "one country, two systems" proposal for autonomy under Chinese sovereignty and that her mission in life was to ensure the island continued to belong to its people.

Meanwhile, on November 8, the Chinese President said that Beijing will strengthen military training and prepare for any war as the nation's "security is increasingly unstable and uncertain."

The Chinese President made the declaration during a visit to the joint operations command center of the Central Military Commission in Beijing, reported Sky News Australia. China will now comprehensively strengthen its military training and preparation for any war, Xi said, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

China considers Taiwan a part of its territory, despite the island being a de facto nation-state with its own democratically elected government, military, and currency. Beijing has threatened military force to bring the island under its fold, according to The Singapore Post.

The US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl said an attack on the island's democracy could come anytime. "I don't think they're likely to invade Taiwan in the next couple of years. But you never know," he said on 4th November; "Xi has certainly given his military the charge to have that capability by the end of this decade and probably by 2027."

Known as the porcupine strategy, Taiwan's shift takes advantage of China's main weakness, moving soldiers by ship and plane across 110 miles of water called the "Taiwan Strait". Taipei has an asymmetric advantage as the missiles are required to hit Chinese aircraft and ships with much more ease than their targets. (ANI)

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