Rhetoric remains heated between Taiwan and China and, in the latest instance, China has declared that it will take military action if Taiwan declares independence from China. The Chinese Defense Minister was quoted as saying that “The Taiwan issue is related to China’s sovereignty and touches upon China’s core interests…on this issue, it is extremely dangerous to challenge China’s bottom line.” While the political perspectives of the Chinese and Taiwanese governments are highly divergent on Taiwan’s current status, the rise of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party in 2016 has heightened tensions and political conflict. America’s continued patrol through the Taiwan Strait as part of its efforts to protect freedom of navigation has been interpreted by China as a show of support for Taiwan, and the U.S. response to a Taiwan-China military conflict is yet uncertain.
Source: China will ‘take military action’ if Taiwan declares independence | Asia Times