Speaking to the ABC’s China Tonight program, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu declared that if the PLA were to launch an actual strike, his democratic state would be ready to repel it.

“The defence of Taiwan is in our own hands, and we are absolutely committed to that,” Mr Wu has told the ABC’s Stan Grant in an interview to be broadcast on Monday evening.

“I’m sure that if China is going to launch an attack against Taiwan, I think they are going to suffer tremendously as well.”

The minister from Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party believes other like-minded countries such as Australia should now come to the aid of his besieged nation by developing closer ties.