Tensions Between China And Taiwan: Taiwan Will Not Yield To Beijing's Pressure.

• Taiwan will not succumb to pressure from China and will defend its democratic way of life.
• President Cai Ying-wen said in a provocative speech amid rising tensions around the island.

His remarks on National Taiwan Day came after Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to "realize unification." China condemned Cai's speech, saying it "triggered the confrontation." Taiwan is considered a sovereign state, while China considers it a breakaway province.

Beijing has not ruled out the possibility of using force to achieve unification.

China has sent a record number from military aircraft to Taiwan's air defense zones in recent days. Three Chinese planes, including two fighter jets, crossed the area on Sunday, Taiwan's defense ministry said.

Declarator: What is behind the split between China and Taiwan?

Tsai was re-elected with great power last year on a promise to oppose Beijing. In a speech on Sunday, he said Taiwan "is at the forefront of defending democracy." He said the island would not "act rashly" but would strengthen its defenses to "ensure that no one can force Taiwan to follow the path that China has taken for us."

This time Taiwan offers "neither a free and democratic way of life for Taiwan nor sovereignty" for its 23 million people. Military vehicles parade in Taiwan during the celebration of National Taiwan Day in Taipei, Taiwan, October 10, 2021.

He added that Chinese military flights in Taiwan's air defense zone had seriously compromised national security and aviation, describing the situation as "more complex and seamless than it has been in the past 72 years." Cai also repeated a proposal to hold talks with Chinese leaders on an equal footing, a recommendation from Beijing - which he calls "separatists" - has been rejected.

Your explanation was followed by a flight of a Taiwanese fighter jet.

A man who witnessed Cai's speech told AFP that the Taiwanese people could not accept reunification with China. "China is quite authoritarian at the moment. The situation is deteriorating, especially under Xi Jinping. Unification is now inappropriate," said another.

Why do China and Taiwan have such a bad relationship? China and Taiwan were divided during a civil war in the 1940s, but Beijing pushed for the island to be rebuilt at some point, by force if necessary. On Saturday, Chinese President Xi said unification should be achieved peacefully but warned that the Chinese people have a "noble tradition" of fighting separatism.

After Cai's speech on Sunday, the China Taiwan Bureau said it had campaigned for Taiwan independence, incited confrontation, cut into disputed history and facts. Despite recently heightened tensions, Sino-Taiwan relations had not deteriorated to the level of 1996 when China tried to disrupt the presidential election with missile tests, and the United States sent an aircraft carrier to the region to deter them.