Though the ones workouts had been initially anticipated to finish Sunday, drills round Taiwan persevered Monday, consistent with a statement from China’s army.

But because the live-fire drills raised world fears of a imaginable army battle, the temper in Taiwan remained calm, with existence wearing on as standard with packed eating places and crowded public delivery.

For Wu, the danger made it much more important that Taiwan proceed to construct its global relationships and display it isn’t afraid.

“I fear that China might truly release a warfare in opposition to Taiwan,” he stated. “But what it’s doing at this time is attempting to scare us and the easiest way to maintain it (is) to turn to China that we aren’t scared.”

Pelosi in Taiwan

“Since her trip is all the time topic to numerous concerns, particularly safety concerns … we weren’t ready to determine till the very remaining second when she firmed up her plan,” Wu stated, including Taipei knew the itinerary a couple of days previously, however now not the precise timing of her arrival.

The talk over with from the speaker and an accompanying congressional delegation incorporated conferences at Taiwan’s legislature and the place of work of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, the place Pelosi stated they got here to ship an “unequivocal message” that “America stands with Taiwan.”

Wu stated his maximum memorable influence of the go back and forth used to be greeting Pelosi and the delegation on the airport, the place she “confirmed her allure” by way of announcing she’d been taking a look ahead to her talk over with for a very long time.

“And by the point she departed, she now not most effective stated good-bye to me, but in addition stated good-bye to the bottom group, the safety folks, and to these individuals who have been taking good care of the airport, one after the other,” Wu stated.

When requested whether or not the United States would building up its make stronger for Taiwan after the talk over with, Wu stated america has all the time been “extremely supportive” of Taiwan — however the present make stronger used to be “unheard of.”

Beijing introduced the large-scale army workouts in what it stated had been six zones across the island of Taiwan impulsively after Pelosi’s arrival, according to what it seen as an infringement of China’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

While america and plenty of of its allies have decried the drills, China defended its movements as “official and justified,” announcing it used to be america, now not China, who used to be “the largest saboteur and destabilizer of peace within the Taiwan Strait,” the place China claims “sovereign rights and jurisdiction.”

‘Wrecking’ the established order

Dozens of Chinese warplanes crossed the median line between Thursday and Sunday, consistent with accounts from Taiwan’s Defense Ministry. While the casual median line has in large part preserved peace within the Taiwan Strait for many years, China now overtly denies its life.

“This roughly conduct is wrecking the established order, and it is wrecking peace and steadiness on this area and it must now not be permitted,” Wu stated, including that China had sought to claim the Taiwan Strait as its interior waters for “a while” prior to Pelosi’s talk over with.

That had implications past Taiwan as China seeks to amplify its affect around the Western Pacific, Wu stated. But he added that he remained constructive in regards to the long run.

“Democracy goes to be successful,” he stated. “If you take a look at authoritarianism, it isn’t resilient. It might seem sturdy, and it’s going to seem to be increasing. But it isn’t resilient and someday goes to wreck.”

“It relies on the need of the Chinese leaders to look whether or not they need to pursue the members of the family with Taiwan … in a relaxed and solid approach.”

Wu stated he does not know whether or not Chinese leaders “have made up their thoughts” to make use of drive to take Taiwan, however Taiwanese officers had been “taking a look at a number of other eventualities,” specifically because of issues that Beijing may search to divert consideration from home issues by way of making a disaster within the Taiwan Strait.

“The vital factor for us is that we want to be ready,” Wu stated. “We need to protect the liberty and democracy that we revel in over right here. Nobody can take that clear of us.”