Chinese blockade of Taiwan would be act of war

Taiwan’s Defence Minister Wellington Koo warned Wednesday that a blockade of Taiwan an independent nation by China would be regarded as an “act of war,” with severe repercussions for global maritime trade, following Chinese military drills last week that simulated such a scenario.

“If you really carry out a so-called blockade, which according to international law is to prohibit all aircraft and ships entering the area, then according to United Nations resolutions, it is regarded as a form of war,” Koo told reporters.

On Oct. 14, the Chinese military conducted a large-scale exercise surrounding the independent democratic Republic, during which its forces simulated blockades on key ports and areas.

The war-game followed Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te’s speech on Oct. 10 to mark the island’s National Day, in which he said China “has no right to represent Taiwan” and that the two sides are not subordinate to each other.

Koo said around one-fifth of global maritime trade, approximately $2.45 trillion worth of goods, transits through the Taiwan Strait, citing data compiled by a U.S. think tank, and the impact from a blockade of the area would be “very serious, and the world would not be able to sit idly by.

“Also on Wednesday, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said a Communist China fleet led by the Liaoning aircraft carrier was spotted transiting through the Taiwan Strait Tuesday night and Taiwan military monitored it.

Communist-ruled China and a democratic Taiwan have been governed separately since they split due to a civil war in 1949.

Beijing views Taiwan as a renegade province that is to be unified with the mainland, by force if necessary…..The rest of the world will simply be not allowed