TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) on Monday (Oct. 4) said the nation is preparing for war with China and closely monitoring the communist country's domestic situation for signs that Beijing might try to use force to distract the populace from its problems.

During an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's "China Tonight" program on Monday, the show's host Stan Grant asked Wu if Taiwan feels threatened by China. Wu responded by responding with a definitive "yes," pointing out that Chinese military activities around the country pose a real threat.

For example, Wu said that on Sept. 23, the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) sent 24 military aircraft through the Bashi Channel to simulate attacks on bases located in east and southeast Taiwan. Wu said that such simulated attacks have been carried out on multiple occasions.

Wu said that China is running infiltration operations to set up "cronies inside Taiwan," as well as misinformation campaigns and hybrid warfare. He added that China is blocking Taiwan's participation in international organizations in order to prevent it from having better relations with other countries.

He summarized that looking at the state of relations between the two countries, the threat posed by China against Taiwan "seems to be more serious than before."

The foreign minister said that Taiwan is "very concerned that China is going to launch a war against Taiwan at some point." Wu explained the threat may not be imminent, but there might be a situation in which China will resort to using force against Taiwan.

He said that one plausible scenario is that if China's domestic situation "becomes more serious than before," and based on past behavior with authoritarian regimes, they may "launch a crisis externally in order to divert domestic attention." Therefore, Wu said that Taiwan is closely monitoring the current power outage crisis in China.

Wu warned that if domestic discontent or an economic slowdown becomes very serious then "Taiwan might become a target" of the authoritarian regime to distract its public from internal issues.

Grant questioned the willingness of other countries to "shed blood in defense of Taiwan" and warned that "words will be not enough to deter China." Wu acknowledged the "defense of Taiwan is in our own hands" and vowed that If China launches a war against Taiwan, "We will fight to the end."

When Grant asked how Taiwan could win a war against such overwhelming odds, Wu pointed out that Taiwan has its own Navy, Air Force, asymmetric strategy, and its own domestic defense industry.

Wu warned that if China attacks Taiwan, "They are going to suffer tremendously as well." He then pledged Taiwan is committed to defending freedom and democracy "for the rest of the democratic world."

Using the analogy of David vs. Goliath, Wu asserted that "in the end, democracy will prevail and that Taiwan is going to prevail."