Taiwan on Wednesday denounced Russia's deployment of "peacekeeping" troops in two separatist-held regions in eastern Ukraine, amid fears Beijing might copy Moscow's playbook and attempt to take the self-ruled island by force.
After chairing a National Security Council meeting following Russia's ordering troops into the two breakaway regions, President Tsai Ing-wen condemned Russia for its infringement of Ukraine's sovereignty, calling on all parties involved in the dispute to resolve it peacefully and rationally.
"As a member of the international community, Taiwan is ready to participate in all efforts that contribute to the peaceful settlement of the dispute," Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang quoted Tsai as saying after the meeting.
Russia, which has been amassing troops near Ukraine's borders for months, on Monday recognized the two self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk as being independent and ordered troops deployed there.
Some are worried that Chinese President Xi Jinping might emulate Russia's strategy and take advantage of the confusion to seize Taiwan.
China and Taiwan have been governed separately since they split in 1949 due to a civil war. Beijing regards the island as a renegade province to be reunified with the mainland by force if necessary.
During the meeting, Tsai ordered the military to continue to strengthen surveillance against military dynamics in the Taiwan Strait to ensure the security of the self-ruled island.
