China Already Revealing 'Playbook' For Taiwan Invasion; 'Authoritarian Expansion' May Include More Countries: Wu

Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu on Thursday warned that China is now revealing its strategies for a potential invasion of the self-governing country in the future and said Beijing may not stop with just attacking Taipei, according to a report.

In an exclusive interview with DW, Wu said China's recent missile tests and military exercises are part of its attempts to change the status quo of Taiwan, which it claims is part of its territory.

"In the first part of August, China conducted missile tests, large-scale air and sea exercises, cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and economic coercion against Taiwan. If you put all these [moves together], it is part of their playbook for the future invasion of Taiwan," Wu said in the interview. "When China is trying to destroy the status quo, it's not in the interest of us or the international community."

Wu also added that Taiwan is unlikely China's only target in its efforts to expand its authority, noting that Beijing has been conducting military exercises in other disputed waters.

"Is Taiwan going to be the last target of the Chinese authoritarian expansion? I would say no. China claims the East China Sea and they have been conducting military exercises or sending their ships to the disputed water. They have also claimed the South China Sea, and the daily patrol of the South China Sea either by their bombers or by their warships is so frequent these days," he said.

Wu's remarks come the same day the Taiwanese military shot down an unidentified civilian drone flying above the water of Lion Islet, which is a small island in the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen County grouping. Unidentified drones have been flying in the Kinmen area over the past few days, but this is the first time Taiwan has shot one down.

It is not clear who is flying the drones. Several unmanned drones that were flying near Taiwanese airspace Tuesday were seen heading back to Xiamen after the Taiwanese military fired warning shots.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday said it was "not aware of the situation," adding that Taiwan is just "playing up their nervousness."

Tensions between Taiwan and China have escalated after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei in August.