conflicts
China warns US against interference in Taiwan conflict
Chinese Defense Minister General Li Shangfu wants to set limits to the US government. photo
© Britta Pedersen/dpa
China’s Defense Minister Li Shangfu has warned the US against interfering in the dispute over Taiwan. In a speech at the Shangri-La Dialog security conference in Singapore today, the general once again threatened military action against the democratic island republic.
China’s Defense Minister Li Shangfu has warned the US against interfering in the dispute over Taiwan. In a speech at the Shangri-La Dialog security conference in Singapore today, the general once again threatened military action against the democratic island republic.
“If anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese military will not hesitate for a second,” the new defense minister said. “We will fear no adversary and resolutely protect our national sovereignty and territorial integrity regardless of the cost.”
The general criticized US arms sales and military training to Taiwan, as well as upgrading Washington-Taipei relations. Taiwan is an internal matter of China, in which no one should interfere, said Li Shangfu. “Taiwan is China’s Taiwan.” It is “absurd and dangerous” to undermine Beijing’s one-China principle. After that, Taiwan is part of the People’s Republic. “Reunification” is unstoppable, said the minister at his first appearance at the security conference.
Li Shangfu described relations with the US at a “record low” since relations began in 1979. Regarding the lack of communication that the US is increasingly complaining about, the general said when asked that China was open in principle to talks between the two governments and the military, but follow the principle: “If we don’t have mutual respect, then our communication will not be productive.” In Singapore, Li Shangfu had turned down the US request for a meeting with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin.