Taiwan's Foreign Minister says China wants to 'destroy' Straits status quo

Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said Friday that China's motivation is to destroy the Taiwan Straits' status quo in a briefing with foreign journalists in Taipei.

China has crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait by sending ships and warplanes during the recent military exercises.

Wu said China wants to destroy the status quo and cut down on Taiwan's defensive space.

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn met with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Friday morning in the second visit by members of Congress since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip earlier this month sharply raised tensions with China.

Wu said Taiwanese people won't bow to pressure even though China is trying to cut off Taiwan's international support.

Taiwan is seeking stepped-up defense cooperation and additional weaponry from the U.S., along with closer economic ties.

Wu further emphasized that China's military operation is not only around Taiwan, but it also has ambition to gain control in the East China Sea, South China Sea, and the Indian Ocean.

China has signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands recently.

Wu said the Chinese expansion in the Pacific has drawn the Australian government's attention to its security.

Wu urged all the likeminded countries to work together to prevent China's authoritarianism from expanding further.