News Snapshot:
Armed confrontation between Taiwan and China is "absolutely not an option", Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Monday, as she also pledged to boost the island's defences and reiterated her willingness to talk to Beijing. Democratic Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, has come under increasing military and political pressure from Beijing, especially after Chinese war games in early August following a Taipei visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Tsai, in her national day speech outside the presidential office, said it was "regrettable" that China had escalated its intimidation and threatened peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait...
