Chinese and US defense ministers address the strategic situation in the South China Sea
The Chinese authorities assured this Friday that “they will not hesitate to start a war” for Taiwan if it is necessary to safeguard their national security and the territorial integrity of the Asian giant. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wu Qian insisted that the Chinese Army “will crush Taiwanese independence” to preserve its interests after a meeting in Singapore between Defense Minister Wei Fenghe and his US counterpart Lloyd Austin.
Qian has indicated that the meeting between Wei and Austin, which he described as “frank, positive and constructive”, is important since both countries try to reach a consensus to develop their military relations. Thus, both have exchanged opinions on the Taiwanese issue and the situation in the South China Sea, in addition to the war in Ukraine, according to the Chinese state newspaper ‘Global Times’.
However, Wei has taken the opportunity to transfer Beijing’s position on Taiwan and has insisted that the island is “sacred” and “inseparable from Chinese territory”, as explained by Wu. “The ‘one China’ principle is central to Chinese policy and its relations with the United States and trying to contain the country on the Taiwan issue has no future,” he asserted.
In this sense, he has addressed the recent sale of arms by the United States to Taipei and has indicated that it is a “violation of said principle and of the three Sino-American resolutions”, while stressing that this “vulnerates relations , as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
“If anyone dares to separate China from Taiwan, the Army will not hesitate to fight and will resolutely crush any attempt at independence at all costs,” he said.
On the dispute in the South China Sea, he clarified that the countries of the region are willing to reach a “wise agreement” on the matter, but he has admitted that the “interference of foreign forces is the main factor of uncertainty in the area” .
For this reason, he has urged Washington to take measures to “promote stability” instead of “provoking problems, inciting disputes and fomenting confrontation.”
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