Taiwan minister Chiu Kuo-cheng claims ‘miserable victory’ in future China-Taiwan War

No matter who wins in any future war between Taiwan and China, it will be a “miserable victory”, Taiwan Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said on Thursday, adding it was best if everyone avoided conflict.

Speaking to reporters before a parliament session on the security implications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Chiu said both sides would pay a heavy price in the event of conflict between China and Taiwan, which Beijing has vowed to reclaim, by force if necessary.

“If there’s a war, to be frank, everyone will be miserable, even for the victors,” he said. “One really needs to think this through,” Chiu added. “Everyone should avoid wars.”

While Taiwan has stepped up its alert level since the war in Ukraine, it has reported no unusual Chinese military activities, though China’s air force has continued to mount occasional missions into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone. “We watch the changes calmly and we are prepared accordingly,” Chiu said of China.