China Will ‘No longer Hesitate to Start War’ if Taiwan Proclaims Independence, Beijing Tells US

Beijing will “now no longer hesitate to originate a battle” if Taiwan announces independence, China’s defence minister warned his US counterpart Friday, the most up-to-date salvo between the superpowers over the island.

The warning came as Wei Fenghe held his first face-to-face meeting with US defence secretary Lloyd Austin on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore. US-China tensions have faith been hovering over democratic, self-dominated Taiwan, which lives below constant menace of invasion by China. Beijing views the island as its territory and has vowed to in some unspecified time in the future purchase it, by force if significant.

Wei warned Austin that “if any individual dares to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese language military will positively now no longer hesitate to originate a battle no topic the fee”, defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian quoted the minister as announcing for the period of the meeting.

The Chinese language minister vowed that Beijing would “shatter to smithereens any ‘Taiwan independence’ put of dwelling and resolutely uphold the unification of the motherland”, in step with the Chinese language defence ministry. He “careworn out that Taiwan is China’s Taiwan… The usage of Taiwan to contain China won’t ever prevail”, the ministry mentioned.

Austin “reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability all by the (Taiwan) Strait, opposition to unilateral modifications to the dwelling quo, and known as on (China) to chorus from further destabilising actions in the direction of Taiwan”, in step with the US Division of Defense.

Tensions over Taiwan have faith escalated, in command due to the increasing Chinese language airplane incursions into the island’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ).

Timid waters

US President Joe Biden, for the period of a talk to to Japan remaining month, regarded as if it may well perchance probably well perchance shatter a protracted time of US policy when, in accordance with a ask, he mentioned Washington would defend Taiwan militarily if it is attacked by China. The White Dwelling has since insisted its policy of “strategic ambiguity” over whether or now no longer or now no longer it may well perchance probably well perchance intervene has now no longer changed.

Austin is the most up-to-date senior US decent to talk to Asia as Washington seeks to shift its international policy point of curiosity support to the position from the Ukraine battle.

As effectively as on Taiwan, China and the United States have faith been locked in a unfold of other disputes. They’ve been at loggerheads over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Washington accusing Beijing of offering tacit toughen for Moscow.

China has known as for talks to discontinue the battle, but has stopped trying condemning Russia’s actions and has over and over criticised American hands donations to Ukraine.

China’s large claims in the South China Sea have faith moreover stoked tensions with Washington. Beijing claims nearly about all of the resource-rich sea, by which trillions of bucks in transport change passes every year, with competing claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Austin arrived in Singapore slack Thursday, and held a series of meetings with his counterparts on Friday. At a gathering with Southeast Asian defence ministers, he spoke about Washington’s “approach in sustaining an originate, inclusive and principles-primarily based regional security ambiance”, in step with a recount from the Singapore government.

His comments were a veiled reference to countering China’s increasing assertiveness in the position. Austin will elevate a speech at the forum on Saturday, adopted by Wei on Sunday. The summit runs from June 10 to 12 and is taking position for the principle time since 2019 after twice being postponed due to the the Covid-19 pandemic.

(Written by Sam Reeves)

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