After China’s President Xi Jinping delivered a speech in which he promised to realize “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan, Taipei responded by saying that only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.

These claims have come from Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen, who also spoke of bolstering the island’s defenses in order to not be forced to adopt the path China has set for it.

Further speaking on Taiwan’s national day, Tsai hoped for an easing of tensions across the Taiwan Strait, saying that Taiwan will not “act rashly.”

“But there should be absolutely no illusions that the Taiwanese people will bow to pressure,” she added in her speech outside the presidential office.

Beijing has always considered Taiwan a separatist nation with a political administration that refuses to acknowledge that the island is part of “one China.”

The tensions between China and Taiwan have been ever-growing. Both sides augmented their military and defensive capabilities with Taipei further developing its relationship with Western powers - that have long been deemed hostile to Beijing.