According to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, the threat of military action by China against Taiwan is not an option and will only push the two sides further apart.
President Tsai encouraged China not to attempt to fracture Taiwanese society by misunderstanding Taiwan's multiparty democratic political system for weakness during her speech on Taiwan's National Day.
Taiwan: War With China 'Absolutely' Not an Option
Fighter aircraft and a Chinook helicopter flew Taiwan's flag overhead while the band from Taipei's First Girls' High School performed hits by musicians including the Beatles and Lady Gaga.
President Surangel Whipps Jr. of Palau, whose country's blue and yellow flag was flown alongside Taiwan's red flag with its blue square and white star, was among the foreign guests for National Day ceremonies in Taiwan.
The event honors Taiwan's perseverance as a self-governing nation with a thriving democracy and free press. It honors a 1911 rebellion by troops in the Chinese city of Wuhan, which ultimately contributed to the fall of the Qing Dynasty. In Taiwan, it is more commonly referred to as Double Ten. In 1949, during a civil war, the Communist Party of China overthrew the Nationalist government on the mainland and has since claimed the island, as per Washington Post.
As Taipei seeks to strengthen its defenses in response to Beijing's military pressure, the island nation's defense minister issued a warning last week that any Chinese fighter jets or drones that violate Taiwan's territorial airspace, which is defined as being 12 nautical miles (22.2 kilometers) from the island's shores, will be considered a first strike.
In her speech on Monday, Tsai stated that Taiwan's people are adamant about defending the island because it is an essential symbol of democracy around the globe.
She reaffirmed that Taiwan has been enhancing national defense awareness and boosting the manufacturing of precision weapons to increase asymmetric warfare capabilities, which are defined as military tactics used to confront forces with greater strength.
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Tsai Ing-wen Strengthens Taiwan's Defenses
The Republic of China was founded and its 2,200-year-old imperial system collapsed as a result of the revolution that began 111 years ago in mainland China, which was commemorated on Monday in the capital of Taiwan, Taipei. The Republic of China dominated the mainland until 1949 when it withdrew to Taiwan after losing the civil war to the Communists.
International guests, including the president of Palau, one of the 14 nations with full diplomatic ties to Taiwan, joined the festivities on Monday. Democrat from Texas and US lawmaker Eddie Bernice Johnson also attended, according to CNN.
For Taiwan to be able to pose a more credible deterrence against China, which is stepping up an ambitious military modernization program, Tsai has made bolstering Taiwan's defenses a cornerstone of her administration. Taiwan will demonstrate to the rest of the world that it is taking charge of its defense, Tsai said.
Taiwan is aiming to acquire compact, highly mobile weaponry to ensure that Taiwan is fully equipped to respond to foreign military threats, she added. Taiwan is also pursuing mass manufacturing of precision missiles and high-performance navy boats. Concerns over Taiwan's dominance in the chip manufacturing industry have been raised as a result of the military tensions, particularly in the US, Fox News reported.
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