No one will force Taiwan to take the path laid out by Beijing, president Tsai Ing-wen has vowed on the Taiwanese national day, pledging to continue bolstering the island’s military defences.

Responding to repeated threats from China’s leaders that it will one day take Taiwan – by force if need be – and overthrow its democratically elected government, Tsai said Taiwan had the resolve to defend itself and its future, which “must be decided in accordance with the will of the Taiwanese people”.

Tsai made the comments at formal celebrations in Taipei on Sunday, at the end of one of the most tense weeks between China and Taiwan for decades, including record numbers of Chinese military flights into Taiwan’s defence zone and a speech by President Xi Jinping of China vowing reunification with Taiwan.

Tsai said Taiwan would not “act rashly” but “there should be absolutely no illusions that the Taiwanese people will bow to pressure”.