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China has once again emerged as the primary source of instability in the Indo-Pacific, with Taiwan strongly criticising Beijing's aggressive posture following a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US counterpart Donald Trump.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said China remains the "sole risk to regional peace and stability" due to its repeated military intimidation and expansionist agenda, as reported by The Taipei Times. According to The Taipei Times, during the meeting, Xi reportedly described Taiwan as the "most important issue" in US-China relations. In response, Taiwan firmly rejected China's claims, stressing that the People's Republic of China has no authority to represent Taiwan on the global stage. MOFA reiterated that Taiwan and China "are not subordinate to each other," emphasising Taipei's sovereign status. Taiwan also reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cooperation with democratic allies, particularly the United States. Officials in Taipei said the government would continue expanding partnerships with nations that support freedom, democracy and regional security amid growing Chinese pressure. Meanwhile, military tensions around the Taiwan Strait remain elevated. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence confirmed that three Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels were detected operating near Taiwanese territory as of early today. All three aircraft reportedly entered Taiwan's southwestern and eastern air defence identification zones, prompting Taiwan's armed forces to deploy patrol aircraft, naval units and coastal missile systems to monitor the situation. Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee stated that China's increasing military aggression is fuelling insecurity across the Taiwan Strait and the wider Indo-Pacific region. She said Taiwan believes stronger defence preparedness and closer international cooperation are necessary to counter authoritarian expansion and preserve regional peace, as highlighted by The Taipei Times. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) also dismissed concerns that the Xi-Trump meeting could weaken Taipei-Washington relations. DPP leaders argued that Taiwan's strategic importance extends far beyond bilateral politics, with security, trade and technology ties between Taiwan and the US continuing to deepen, as reported by The Taipei Times. (ANI)
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