TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) highlighted China’s escalating military pressure on Taiwan in an interview with Canadian newspaper Le Devoir.

Wu said that China has intensified coercion in recent years, including sending military aircraft into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone and deploying naval vessels in surrounding waters, according to the foreign ministry. He added that China’s strategy aims to annex Taiwan without the use of force, though it has not ruled out the possibility of military action.

The deputy minister said that if China were to use force against Taiwan and gain control, its military would be able to access the western Pacific. This could pose security risks to countries such as Japan and the Philippines and alter the regional strategic balance, he said. This demonstrates the close link between security in the Taiwan Strait and overall regional stability, he added.

Wu said Taiwan’s increase in defense spending shows its determination to defend itself and to signal to the world its commitment to national security. He emphasized that Taiwan will not give in to China’s provocative actions and will continue to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait to avoid escalation.