Taiwan's Promise: Ready To Revenge If China's Military Entered Its Region

The illustration of Taiwan's F-16 fighter jet overshadows China's H-6 bomber. (Wikimedia Commons/軍事新聞通訊社)

JAKARTA - Taiwan has confirmed that it will use its rights to defend itself and launch a counterattack if the Chinese military enters its territory.

Beijing is indeed increasing military activities near the island.

Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its own, held military exercises around the island this month in reaction to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei.

Taiwan's defense officials say China's "high intensity" military patrol near Taiwan continues and Beijing's intention to make the Taiwan Strait that separates the two sides as a "low sea" will be the main source of instability in the region.

"For planes and ships entering our territory of the sea and air 12 nautical miles, the national army will exercise the right to defend itself and carry out counter-attacks without exception," Lin Wen-Huang, deputy chief of general staff for operations and planning, as quoted from Channel News Asia, Wednesday, August 31.

Taiwan has complained about Chinese drones repeatedly flying close to its small island group near the Chinese coast.

The Taiwanese military promised to counterattack Chinese drones that continue to ignore their warnings to leave Taiwan.

Taiwan fired warning shots at Chinese drones. And this is its first time shortly after President Tsai Ing-wen ordered Taiwan's Ministry of Defense to take countermeasures against something China deems to be provoking.

In response, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that Taiwan is a Chinese province, and there is no "National Ministry of Defense".

"It means nothing to the Taiwanese authorities to exaggerate over tensions," he added.