Taiwan to boost energy inventories amid China threat

Taiwan is working to increase energy inventories in a move boost the island’s resilience in the event of a crisis, a deputy economy minister said, as China
stepped up military pressure to try to force Taiwan to accept Chinese rule.
China’s blockade drills around Taiwan in August after a visit to Taipei by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have heightened concerns on the island about the prospect of an attack by its giant neighbour, which has not ruled out using force to bring democratically governed Taiwan under its control.
Tseng Wen-Sheng, one of Taiwan’s deputy economy ministers, told Reuters in an interview the government is ramping up its natural gas and coal inventories, part of President Tsai Ing-wen’s push to strengthen the island’s “resilience” in an emergency amid growing global geopolitical and economic uncertainties.
“When it does happen, we need to be able to undertake pressure to a certain degree,” Tseng said, answering questions on the prospect of a Chinese blockade or attack on trade-reliant Taiwan, which imports 98% of its energy.