China's defense minister announces “decisive measures” to prevent Taiwan's independence. At the same time, he threatens the island state's supporters.
China's Defense Minister Dong Jun has issued a clear threat to the Taiwanese government and its supporters. “Whoever dares to split Taiwan from China will be crushed and bring about their own downfall,” Chinese state broadcaster CCTV quoted Dong's speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore on Sunday. Chinese politicians often resort to harsh language when it comes to Taiwan.
Dong further said that the Chinese People's Liberation Army would act “decisively and forcefully” to prevent “Taiwanese independence.” The defense minister also indirectly attacked the United States, which sells weapons to Taiwan.
External forces are using “salami tactics” to undermine the one-China principle, forge Taiwan-related laws, sell weapons to Taiwan and maintain illegal official contacts. These “malicious intentions” are putting Taiwan in danger. China is always committed to peaceful reunification, but this prospect is threatened by “Taiwanese independence forces”.
At the same time, however, Dong Jun has also advocated dialogue with the US. “We believe that we need more exchanges, precisely because there are differences between our two armed forces,” Dong said.
The USA does not officially recognize Taiwan diplomatically, but is one of the island's most important allies and has ships and fighter planes in the region. China is also critical of US ties to Pacific states such as the Philippines. In recent months, there have been repeated clashes between Philippine and Chinese ships in the disputed region.
Dong and Austin met on Friday for more than an hour-long conversation on the sidelines of the conference. Austin then announced that the commanders of both sides would resume speaking to each other by telephone “in the coming months.” Beijing, for its part, welcomed the “stabilizing” security relations between the two countries after the conversation.
The minister promised to ensure that Taiwan's independence never happens: “We will take decisive measures to contain Taiwan's independence and ensure that such a plot never succeeds.” In his speech, Dong said that Taiwan is the “core of core issues” for China, but that Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party is gradually pursuing separatism and is striving to erase Chinese identity.
video | China threatens Taiwan with “bloodshed”
Source: reuters
About a week ago, China held a large-scale military exercise off the coast of Taiwan. The communist leadership in Beijing wanted to warn the new Taiwanese president, Lai Ching-te, against striving for formal independence for Taiwan from China. Read more about it here.
China considers Taiwan to be part of its territory, although independent and democratically elected governments have been in power there for decades. Beijing has already threatened several times to unite the island, which has a population of more than 23 million, by military force. The USA has assured the island state of support in the event of a defensive situation.
The Shangri-La Dialogue is considered the most important security policy forum in the Indo-Pacific region at the level of defense ministers. It is organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). On the sidelines of the summit, Dong met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday.
