TAIPEI—Former Japanese prime minister Taro Aso warned a Taipei security forum Tuesday the international community must “wake up” to the worsening situation surrounding the Taiwan Strait, a hotspot waterway separating the democratic island from China.
Taiwan has in recent years been under increased political and military pressure from China, which claims the island as its territory and has vowed to retake it one day.
The past year has been especially charged with Beijing enacting two massive rounds of wargames around the island, simulating a blockade of Taiwan and missile strikes.
The live-fire exercises also affected Taiwan’s northeastern neighbor when ballistic missiles were launched near Japan’s coastal waters, the 82-year-old ex-premier said.
“The important thing for us now is that there should be no war in the region, including the Taiwan Strait,” said Aso, one of the keynote speakers at an annual security forum that gathers defense and maritime experts.
“We need to wake up now. From Taiwan to the United States and other like-minded countries, it’s time to demonstrate our will and determination to fight, and our power of deterrence.”
