Taiwan's security chief Chen Ming-tong (陳明通) says a successful Chinese invasion of Taiwan is not guaranteed. That came as Chen spoke with lawmakers on Thursday about strengthening Taiwan's national defense.
Chen says taking Taiwan wouldn't be easy because of the country's military, sanctions from other democratic countries, and diplomatic isolation. He says these consequences would have a major impact on China's prosperity.
Chen says Beijing has accomplished a lot during the past 40 years of reform, which it was able to do without forcibly unifying with Taiwan. He adds that Taiwan has never been a part of the People's Republic of China, and both countries should respect each other's individual development.
Chen calls on Beijing to act ethically and not attack Taiwan. He says if China's government changes its current agenda, tensions between the two countries will definitely subside. But Chen expects Beijing will likely continue to threaten Taiwan.