A day before Taiwan’s pivotal presidential race, Beijing’s military is vowing to crush any efforts to promote Taiwan’s independence, while a defense ministry spokesperson said the Chinese military maintains high vigilance at all times.
Right now the race is tight, and countries around the world are watching. Taiwan’s next president will be faced with walking a very fine line—balancing relations between the island, China, and Washington.
The Chinese Communist Party sees Taiwan as part of China, despite never having ruled it. Washington doesn’t have diplomatic ties with the island, though the United States is bound by law to provide Taiwan with means to defend itself, often through weapons sales.