Everyone, even victors, will be miserable in Taiwan-China war: Taiwanese minister

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – If there is a war between China and Taiwan, “everyone will be miserable,” Taiwan’s defense minister said on Thursday, emphasizing the need for efforts to avert any potential conflict.

“It requires a lot of thinking … once the battle is fought, everyone will be miserable,” Chiu Kuo-cheng told reporters before a parliament discussion on the changing international situation due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

“Once you fight, you must go through a lot of consideration. If there’s a war, to be frank, everyone will be miserable, even for the victors,” he said, adding that “it is best if everyone avoids conflict.”

Referring to the situation between China and Taiwan, Chiu said Taipei “will always wait and watch the changes, and will be prepared and respond accordingly,” Taipei-based Liberty Times reported.

As the world focuses on the Russia-Ukraine war, observers are also closely watching China’s moves regarding Taiwan, which it claims as “a breakaway province.”

Taipei, however, has insisted on its independence since 1949 and maintains diplomatic relations with at least 14 countries.

There has recently been hectic air activity across the Taiwan Strait, with scores of Chinese jets entering what Taiwan calls its air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

Beijing has repeatedly said it considers Taiwan an “inalienable part of China.”

The Chinese military has also warned of “zero tolerance” for what it views as “secessionist activities” on the island, which is home to some 24 million people.

“It must be made crystal clear that the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) has zero tolerance for ‘Taiwan independence’ secessionist activities and external interference and will crush them whenever they pop up,” said Sr. Col. Wu Qian, spokesperson for China’s Defense Ministry.

“We consistently uphold the guideline of ‘peaceful reunification’ and ‘one country, two systems,’ and are willing to make utmost efforts … for the peaceful reunification across the Taiwan Strait, but we will never tolerate secession from the nation by the ‘Taiwan independence’ forces,” he said in Beijing on Wednesday.