Taiwan has defended its military and civil defence preparations against China, arguing that strengthening its defences is an act of self-preservation rather than provocation amid rising cross-strait tensions.
Speaking at a security forum in Taipei, Lin Fei-fan, Deputy Secretary-General of Taiwan’s National Security Council, said Beijing’s expanding military capabilities and daily operations around the island pose a genuine threat that cannot be ignored.
“People often portray Taiwan’s preparations as provocation toward the other side,” Lin said.
“I want to take this opportunity to tell everyone: all of China’s preparations have one clear goal—military aggression and external expansion.”
China considers self-governed Taiwan part of its territory and has never ruled out using force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and has steadily increased defence spending while expanding civil defence initiatives under President Lai Ching-te’s “whole-of-society resilience” strategy.
‘China Is The One Changing The Status Quo’
Lin rejected Beijing’s repeated accusations that Taiwan is escalating tensions, arguing that China’s actions tell a different story.
“A country that advocates ‘the two sides of the strait are one family’ does not need to test-fire missiles and rockets in the Taiwan Strait,” he said.
He also noted that Taiwan does not send military aircraft or warships into Chinese airspace or waters, accusing Beijing of being the party destabilising the region.
“The one provoking the regional order is not anyone else—it is China.”
China has routinely blamed President Lai for worsening cross-strait relations, describing him as a “separatist”, while insisting its military activities are aimed at safeguarding national sovereignty and security.
Preparing Before A Crisis
Lin urged Taiwanese citizens to take the threat seriously and participate in preparedness efforts, warning against assuming that conflict is impossible.
Referring to the war in Ukraine, he said Taiwan should not wait until a crisis begins before preparing.
“If we do not act today, strength will not suddenly appear tomorrow,” he said.
“If we do not conduct drills today, when a crisis arrives, we may not even know the most basic standard operating procedure.”
Taiwan has increasingly conducted civil defence exercises involving local governments, emergency services and civilians as part of efforts to improve national resilience in the event of conflict.
‘Without Defence, There Would Be No Taiwan’
Lin concluded that peace across the Taiwan Strait ultimately depends on China’s choices.
“There would be immediate peace if China were to give up its military ambitions towards Taiwan,” he said.
“But if Taiwan now gives up its ability to defend itself, there will no longer be a Taiwan in the world.”
His remarks come as Beijing continues near-daily military operations around Taiwan, keeping pressure on the island while warning against any moves towards formal independence.
(with inputs from Reuters)
