Taiwan calls out China's 'expansionist ambitions', draws Beijing's ire: 'He is war instigator'

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Wednesday (Feb 11) warned that countries in the region would be China's next targets if Beijing attacks Taiwan to seize it. Lai's remarks came days after US President Donald Trump spoke to Chinese Premier Xi Jinping about Taiwan. China reacted sharply to his comments and called Taiwan's leader a "war instigator." Bejing said that he is paving way to disrupt peace and create crisis in the region. Lai had called out China's “expansionist ambitions” and said that Japan, Philippines, and others in the Indo-Pacific region would be in danger if Taiwan is annexed.

What Lai Ching said?

Speaking to AFP in his first interview with a global news agency since taking office in May 2024, Lai said, “If China were to take Taiwan, Beijing would become more aggressive, undermining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and the rules-based international order…If Taiwan were annexed by China, China's expansionist ambitions would not stop there.” "The next countries under threat would be Japan, the Philippines, and others in the Indo-Pacific region, with repercussions eventually reaching the Americas and Europe," he added. Urging the intervention of US President Donald Trump on the China-Taiwan tensions, Lai said, "We believe President Trump is undertaking a difficult peace-building effort, which entails safeguarding US interests and deterring Chinese expansionism in the short term. Lai added that the United States did not need to "to frame Taiwan as a bargaining chip in any discussions with China".

Also Read: China-Taiwan tensions rise: 9 Chinese PLA aircraft and PLAN vessels detected near Taiwanese territory

How China reacted?

Beijing's foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian reacted to Taiwanese president's remarks and said, "Lai Ching-te's remarks once again exposed his stubborn pro-independence nature, fully proving that he is a peace disruptor, crisis creator, and war instigator. Seeking independence through external means and resisting reunification by force is like an ant trying to shake a tree -- doomed to failure.

Last week, Trump and Jinping held a telephonic conversation in which the Chinese President cautioned the US to handle arms sales to Taiwan “with prudence,” while Trump confirmed visit Beijing in April 2026. On trade, the two sides talked about China’s commitment to purchasing US soybeans, oil, and gas, as well as the delivery of heavy machinery like airplane engines. Trump called the conversation an “excellent” one. He said that the call was “long and thorough.” Apart from Taiwan, Trump said that they discussed the war between Russia and Ukraine and the current situation with Iran. Jinping called for both sides to move toward "mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation" throughout 2026. He noted that the US-China relationship will flourish only if both sides tackle issues “one by one” and avoiding even “minor wrongdoings.”

Also Read: China to take Taiwan by brute force by 2027? Pentagon drafts report claims Beijing loaded more than 100 ICBMs in silo fields

China-Taiwan tensions

Tensions between China and Taiwan have escalated to their highest level in decades. In late December 2025 and early January 2026, China conducted its largest-ever military exercises encircling Taiwan. Taiwan reported a surge in aerial and naval incursions. Last month, a draft Pentagon report revealed that China has likely deployed over 100 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) across its latest silo fields, with an aim for rapid nuclear expansion. The report highlighted China’s growing military ambitions and strategic focus on Taiwan. It also suggested that China is modernising its nuclear arsenal faster than any other nuclear-armed nation. According to the report, China’s nuclear warhead stockpile stood in the low 600s in 2024, but projections indicate it could exceed 1,000 warheads by 2030.