Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan's democratically elected President (Image: GETTY)
Ketian Zhang, an Assistant Professor at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government, underlined China’s hardline stance on the issue in an interview with Express.co.uk last year.
She said: "I would say the tension surrounding Taiwan has worsened since Trump took office, and the worsening of cross-strait relations is a gradual process.
"China does have a red line, which is that Taiwan should not declare de jure independence.
"If it does so, it is highly likely that China will resort to the use of force."
China's military power in numbers (Image: Express)