00:00Taiwan says its military is ready to respond immediately to any sudden Chinese attack,
00:05with all units able to operate independently without waiting for orders.
00:10In a report to lawmakers, Taipei warned Beijing has been stepping up military pressure,
00:15conducting near-daily drills, grey zone operations and larger joint combat patrols.
00:24The report added that Chinese warships have also been operating farther into the Pacific
00:29towards Australia and New Zealand.
00:31Taiwan's defense ministry said its forces have clear procedures to escalate combat alerts
00:37if exercises shift from drill to war.
00:40It accused Beijing of practicing real-world attack scenarios,
00:44shifting from routine drills to multi-service combat-oriented training.
00:49Beijing, meanwhile, accused Taiwan's President Lai Ching-de of exaggerating the threat
00:53to push a pro-independence agenda, calling such moves extremely dangerous.
00:58Taiwan insists only its people can decide the island's future.
