Tsai Ing-wen waves at the end of a rank conferral ceremony for military officials from the Army, Navy and Air Force, at the defence ministry in Taipei, Taiwan on December 28, 2021, at the end of a rank conferral ceremony. TAIPEI, Jan 28, Reuters - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen expressed empathy for Ukraine's situation due to the military threat the island faces from China, saying force was not the solution to resolving disputes.
Taiwan complained of repeated Chinese military activity near it over the past two years, mostly flights into the island's air defence zone, part of a pattern of what Taipei views as pressure from Beijing to accept China's sovereignty claims over the island.
Taiwan reported its largest incursion since October by China's air force in its air defence zone, with the island's defence ministry saying Taiwanese fighters scrambled to warn 39 aircraft in the latest uptick in tensions.
In a meeting of the National Security Council in Taiwan, Tsai said that the Ukraine situation needed close attention.
Taiwan has faced military threats and intimidation from China for a long time. She said at the meeting that she empathizes with Ukraine's situation, and we also support the efforts of all parties to maintain regional security.
Tsai asked the National Security Council to set up a working group on the Ukraine situation to watch developments and the possible impact on Taiwan's security, her office said.
Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region is not only the shared responsibility of all parties, but also the common expectation of the international community, Tsai said.
The military isn't an option to resolve disputes - this is a universal truth. Russia said on Thursday that it was clear that the United States was not willing to address its main security concerns over Ukraine, but both sides kept the door open to further dialogue. The US and NATO submitted written responses on Wednesday to Russia's demands for a redrawing of post-Cold War security arrangements in Europe since it massed troops near Ukraine, prompting Western fears of an invasion and new U.S. pledges of defence support.