Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun declared that China’s military is ready to “forcefully” prevent Taiwan’s independence, while also advocating for increased exchanges with the United States on the issue.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue conference in Singapore on Sunday, Dong emphasized that Taiwan remains the “core of core issues” for China. He accused Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party of pursuing separatism and erasing Chinese identity.
China considers Taiwan its own territory despite Taipei’s objections and recently conducted war games around the island in response to the inauguration of Taiwan President William Lai Ching-te. Dong condemned separatist statements from Taiwan, vowing that those individuals would be shamed in history. He reiterated China’s commitment to peaceful reunification but warned that the People’s Liberation Army would act decisively to stop any moves towards independence.
“Whoever dares to split Taiwan from China will be crushed to pieces and suffer his own destruction,” Dong asserted at the forum.
In response, Taiwan’s government expressed deep regret over what it called Dong’s “provocative and irrational” remarks.
Dong’s comments came after his first face-to-face talks in 18 months with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The two defense chiefs met for over an hour, signaling a potential thaw in military communications between the two nations. Austin announced that military dialogue would resume in the coming months, while Beijing praised the stabilizing effect on bilateral security relations.
President Joe Biden’s administration has been increasing communication with China to reduce tensions, highlighted by Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent visit to Beijing and Shanghai. A primary objective has been to resume military-to-military dialogue to prevent disputes from escalating.
On the South China Sea, where China has frequently clashed with Philippine vessels, Dong warned of the limits to Beijing’s restraint, accusing the US of using the Philippines to provoke China.
“China has maintained sufficient restraint in the face of rights infringements and provocation, but there are limits to this,” Dong cautioned.
China halted military communications with the US in 2022 following then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. The recent talks and renewed dialogue efforts are seen as critical to managing the complex and volatile issues between the two countries.
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