Taiwan says won’t allow ‘repeated provocations’ from China, ahead of reported McCarthy meeting
China #China
TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan will not allow “repeated provocations” from China, the island’s defence minister said on Tuesday, when asked about Beijing’s possible reaction to a reported meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Tsai plans to meet McCarthy in the United States in coming weeks, two sources told Reuters on Monday, a move that could replace the Republican speaker’s anticipated but sensitive trip to the democratically governed island claimed by China.
China staged war games around Taiwan last August after a visit to Taipei by then U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Speaking to reporters in parliament, Taiwan Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said he was not aware of a planned meeting between Tsai and McCarthy.
“The Chinese communists use any reason to send troops,” Chiu said. “But we won’t just say ‘bring it on’. We will take a peaceful and rational approach.”
Although it hopes this does not happen, Taiwan’s military is prepared to fight, he added.
“If the Chinese communists move again, the armed forces’ job is to fight,” Chiu said. “We won’t allow repeated provocations against us. We can’t accept that.”
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Kim Coghill and Gerry DOyle)