Taipei, Taiwan (CNN)Taiwan China's threat to Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said in an interview Monday, including welcoming those who support the company to defend Taiwan's freedom and democracy.
"China has been a constant threat to Taiwan for years, and it has become more serious in recent years," Wu said. “Whether or not Chairman Pelosi visits Taiwan, the Chinese military threat to Taiwan will always be there, and it is a fact that we must deal with.”
Friends abroad welcoming the island to the island was an important part of Taiwan's strategy to counter China's attempts to isolate it from the international community -- due to potential backlash from Beijing. Nonetheless, Wu said.
The exercises were originally scheduled to end on Sunday, but the exercises around Taiwan continued on Monday, according to a statement by the Chinese military.
But as live-fire drills sparked global fears of possible military conflict, the mood in Taiwan has calmed down, and life continues as usual in packed restaurants and crowded public transport.
For Wu, this threat made it all the more important that Taiwan continue to build international relations and show it is not afraid.
"I worry that China will really start a war against Taiwan," he said. "But what China is doing now is trying to scare us, and the best way to deal with it is to show China that we are not scared."
Pelosi of Taiwan
"Her trips are always subject to many considerations, especially security considerations, so we never knew until the last minute when she solidified her plans." Wu said, although the itinerary for Taipei is several days in advance, it is not the exact timing of her arrival.
The visit of the congressional delegation accompanied by the Speaker included meetings in Taiwan's legislature and the office of Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, where Pelosi said, "America stands with Taiwan." "I'm here to send a clear message," he said.
Wu said her most memorable part of the trip was greeting Pelosi and the delegation at the airport, and she has long looked forward to her visit.
"And by the time she left, she had not only said goodbye to me, but she had also taken care of ground crew, security, and the airport." I also said goodbye to the people who were doing the one," Wu said.
When asked after the visit whether the United States would increase its support for Taiwan, Wu said that the United States had always been "very supportive" of Taiwan, but that the current support was "
In response, shortly after Pelosi's arrival, China announced large-scale military exercises in six areas around the island of Taiwan.
While the United States and many of its allies condemned the drills, China defended its actions as "legitimate and justified," describing it as "China's biggest hindrance and It is the United States, not China, that has destabilized the peace."
"Disrupting" the status quo
Dozens of Chinese fighter jets crossed the median line between Thursday and Sunday, Taiwan's Ministry of Defense reported. An unofficial Central Line has maintained peace in the Taiwan Strait for decades, but China now publicly denies its existence.
"This kind of action is destroying the status quo, destroying peace and stability in the region, and should not be accepted," said Mr Wu, who said that China should open the Taiwan Strait to its own territory. It added that it was about to declare itself an inland strait. Out at sea "for a while" before Pelosi's visit.
This has implications beyond Taiwan as China seeks to expand its influence across the Western Pacific, Wu said. However, he added that he is optimistic about the future.
"Democracy will win," he said. "If you look at authoritarianism, it's not resilient. It may look strong, it may look like it's growing. But it's not resilient and will collapse at some point."
"Whether or not the Chinese leader wants to pursue peaceful and stable relations with Taiwan depends on the will of the Chinese leader."
Wu said. said he was not sure whether Chinese leaders had "decided" to use force to occupy Taiwan, but Taiwanese officials were "considering several different scenarios." It seeks to divert attention from domestic affairs by posing a crisis in the Taiwan Strait.
"The important thing for us is that we need to be prepared," said Wu. "We want to protect the freedom and democracy we enjoy here. No one can take it away from us."