Tsai Records Video for Taiwanese Public 共軍軍演挑釁 蔡總統向國人信心喊話

President Tsai Ing-wen released a video on the 4th calling on Taiwanese people to have stand together in the face of adversity, saying Taiwan has never fallen when challenged.

Tsai Ing-wen, ROC President: “Taiwan has never fallen to a challenge. I hope everyone can be united, including the ruling and opposition parties, and work together to protect our land, protect our sovereignty and protect democracy.”

On the 4th, President Tsai Ing-wen recorded a message for the nation. She called on everyone to stand united and called on China to be "rational" and have "self-control." 

Su Tseng-chang, ROC Premier: “Our evil neighbor next door is threatening us at our door. Our national security team is closely monitoring the situation and we will respond appropriately.”

Taiwan says China's military exercises are in response to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit. A Biden administration official says the U.S.' Taiwan policy has not changed and it hopes tensions will go down in the Taiwan Strait.

Tony Blinken, US Secretary of State: “And I want to emphasize, nothing has changed about our position, and I hope very much that Beijing will not manufacture a crisis or seek a pretext to increase its aggressive military activity.”

According to a Bloomberg report, U.S. President Joe Biden is trying to convince Democrat lawmakers to block a bill that would list Taiwan as a "major non-NATO ally."

Li Da-jung, Associate Strategic Studies Professor, TKU: “Under these circumstances, the U.S. Congress and especially the Democrats may want to suspend the legislation and promotion of certain bills, but I don't think it will have much impact in the long term.”

One expert says the U.S.' postponement of a scheduled intercontinental ballistic missile test fire is a clear sign that the U.S. doesn't want relations with China to deteriorate further. However, this doesn't necessarily mean U.S. support for Taiwan will lessen.

蔡英文表示：「台灣從來不會被挑戰所擊倒，我希望全體國人團結一心，朝野政黨團結一致，共同守護國土，守護主權，守護民主。」

面對中國軍演挑釁，試射飛彈，總統蔡英文4日晚間特地發布影片，向國人信心喊話，希望關鍵時刻團結一致，也嚴正要求中國理性自制，政府團隊正沉著應變，請全體國人安心。

行政院長蘇貞昌則表示：「隔壁惡鄰在我們的門口耀武揚威，我們都由國安團隊密切掌握，我們也都做妥善因應。」

政府譴責中國行徑，接下來幾天也會密切注意，而這次軍演起因，是因為美國眾議院議長裴洛西訪台，中國挑明反對美台勾連；美國政府則再度重申對台政策沒有改變，希望藉此降低台海緊張局勢。

美國國務卿布林肯強調：「我們的立場沒有改變，我非常希望北京不要製造危機，也不要找藉口，增加其侵略性軍事活動。」

敏感時刻，彭博社報導，總統拜登正在遊說民主黨籍的參議員，阻止將台灣列為非北約主要盟友的台灣政策法案，不希望在裴洛西訪台後推友台法案，再度激怒中國。

淡江戰略所副教授李大中分析：「美國國會可能是在這樣的狀況之下，尤其是民主黨政府，希望在這個時間點裡面，先暫停一些法案的成案跟推動，但我覺得不影響長期。」

學者分析，美國此時延後一場例行的洲際彈道飛彈試射，很明顯的就是為了避免美中衝突升級，但是否因此減弱挺台力道則不至於，因為這已是國會跨黨派立場，拜習會美中應有取得共識，不讓局勢擦槍走火。