China has not ruled out using force to bring Taiwan under its control.
China’s defence ministry did not answer calls outside of office hours on Sunday. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A Taiwan security official, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters they were continuing to watch the situation around the island, as well as Chinese media comments about Lai’s national day speech.
Chinese media has carried several commentaries and stories since Lai’s Thursday speech denouncing the contents as “confrontational” and harmful.
Some comments on Chinese social media about the military’s “battle preparation” video called for “Taiwan to return to the motherland” and “national reunification”.
A second security source in Taiwan, familiar with intelligence assessments, said while it was still possible China, wary of creating a crisis over Taiwan so soon ahead of next month’s US election, might keep its reaction to angry words, there remained the possibility of more war games.
China is in the middle of its annual drills season, and its military could just “hang a name” on those exercises and turn them into war games specifically targeting Taiwan, the official, also speaking anonymously, told Reuters.
China’s commerce ministry on Saturday threatened Taiwan with more trade sanctions, in what the government views as Chinese economic coercion.
Lai and his government reject Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying only Taiwan’s people can decide their future. Lai has repeatedly offered talks with Beijing but been rebuffed.
