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If Taiwan becomes independent: China's defense minister openly threatens war

2022-06-11T15:07:40.208Z


Political observers have long seen the danger. Now Defense Minister Wei Fenghe has openly threatened war if Taiwan declares independence.


Political observers have long seen the danger.

Now Defense Minister Wei Fenghe has openly threatened war if Taiwan declares independence.

Singapore - For China, Taiwan is a breakaway colony to be reunited with the mainland - Taiwan sees itself as independent.

This conflict has been smoldering for decades.

On Friday, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe openly threatened war if Taiwan declared independence.

But the United States sees itself as the protecting power of Taiwan - in the event of war, two world powers would face each other.

China threatens war if Taiwan declares independence

Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe said on Friday, speaking to his US counterpart Lloyd Austin in Singapore, "If anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese army will definitely not hesitate to wage war, whatever the cost." to begin.” Taiwan had seceded from Beijing in 1949.

The small country is thus proving that democratization of the Chinese population is possible.

However, Beijing's goal is equality, the "one China principle".

That is why the democracy movement in Hong Kong, democratic Taiwan and the Uyghurs are a thorn in the side of the People's Republic.

Wei also stressed on Friday that Beijing will "smash any plot for 'Taiwan independence' and resolutely uphold the unification of the motherland."

Taiwan is "China's Taiwan, using Taiwan to contain China will never prevail."

Chinese President Xi Jinping made a similar threat at the party's 100th anniversary in 2021.

"Reunification is a historic task and the right path, while Taiwan's independence is a dead end.

We do not rule out the use of force and reserve the right to use any options necessary," the Chinese president said at the time.

US-China relations increasingly deteriorated

Relations between the USA and China have continued to cool down in recent years.

The talks on Friday as part of the Shangri-La Dialogue - a kind of Munich security conference for Asia - was the first personal meeting between the two defense ministers; previously they had only spoken to each other over the phone.

The US is pursuing a line of "strategic ambiguity" on the Taiwan issue.

In doing so, they assure Taiwan of support in developing its defense capabilities, but do not expressly promise to come to the island's aid in the event of war.

However, the US is said to be secretly training Taiwanese soldiers, the

Wall Street Journal

reported.

According to the US Department of Defense, Austin told his Chinese counterpart on Friday that Beijing must "refrain from further destabilizing actions towards Taiwan."

Peace and stability in the region are extremely important.

US President Joe Biden pledged military support to Taiwan in May in the event of a Chinese invasion, sparking outrage in Beijing.

Conflict in the South China Sea: Escalation possible in the next six years

South China Sea: USA and China on course for confrontation

South China Sea: USA and China on course for confrontation

China has repeatedly demonstrated its power against Taiwan - for example by allowing military aircraft to enter Taiwanese airspace.

US Secretary of Defense Austin on Friday therefore criticized the Chinese military aircraft "which have flown near Taiwan in record numbers and almost daily in recent months".

China had also built military installations on the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea - contrary to international jurisprudence.

Political observers see the conflict in the South China Sea escalating in the coming years.

Among them, for example, the commander of the US Pacific Command, Philip Davidson, who believes an escalation is possible “in the next six years”.

According to the news portal Bloomberg

, US Secretary of Defense Austin and his Chinese counterpart

agreed after their first meeting on Friday to hold further talks

(AFP/bm)

.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-06-11

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