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Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Responding to Trump invasion comments, Taiwan says must rely on itself for security
TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan must rely on itself for its security, the island's foreign ministry said on Tuesday, responding to U.S. President Donald Trump saying Chinese President Xi Jinping told him he would not invade the island while Trump was in office. Democratic Taiwan has over the past five years or so faced ramped up military and political pressure from China, which views the separately governed island as its "sacred" territory. Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Asked about Trump's remarks, Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei said the government closely monitored interactions between senior U.S. and Chinese officials. "Taiwan's security must be achieved through its own efforts, so our country has been dedicating itself to raising its self defence capabilities and resilience. Our country will keep working hard to do this," Hsiao told reporters in Taipei. The United States is Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier, although there are no formal diplomatic ties. There is also no defence treaty so should China attack Washington is under no obligation to help. The United States, which is however bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, has long stuck to a policy of "strategic ambiguity," not making clear whether it would respond militarily to a Chinese attack on Taiwan. Trump made the invasion comments in an interview with Fox News, ahead of talks in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow's war in Ukraine. On Monday, China's foreign ministry said Taiwan was an internal matter that was for the Chinese people to resolve. Taiwan's government vehemently opposes China's sovereignty claims.
NHK
13-05-2025
- Politics
- NHK
Taiwan conducts first live-fire test of US-supplied HIMARS rocket system
Taiwan's military has test-fired for the first time a new rocket system supplied by the United States in an apparent attempt to keep China in check. The military conducted the live-fire drill of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, at its base in the southern county of Pingtung on Monday with media present. The military said a total of 33 rockets were fired at targets 12 kilometers away. HIMARS is a rocket launching system installed on a military vehicle. It is said to combine mobility and precision. Taiwan received the first batch of 11 HIMARS last year, and will take delivery of the other 18 systems next year amid increasing military pressure from Beijing. COL. Ho Chih-chung, Deputy Commander, the 58th Artillery Command, told reporters that he believes the test firing of the rocket system demonstrated to the public the military's resolve to protect Taiwan's security and "beautiful homeland."
