“We will fight at all costs and we will fight until the end. “This is the only option for China,” said Wei Fenghe at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, where he called Taiwan “first and foremost China’s Taiwan.” “Those who seek Taiwan’s independence in an effort to separate China will certainly not have a happy ending. “No one should ever underestimate the determination and ability of the Chinese armed forces to safeguard their territorial integrity.” His remarks came a day after US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin accused China of “provocative, destabilizing” military activity near the island. Beijing sees democratic, self-governing Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification, with violence if needed. US-China tensions over the island have risen, in particular due to the growing number of Chinese airstrikes in Taiwan’s air defense zone. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin overhears Wei Fenghe. Photo: Roslan Rahman / AFP / Getty Images Taiwan’s foreign ministry has denounced China’s claims of sovereignty as “absurd” and thanked the United States for its support. “Taiwan has never been under the jurisdiction of the Chinese government and the people of Taiwan will not succumb to threats of violence from the Chinese government,” said ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou. Wei said on Sunday that it was up to the United States to improve bilateral relations, saying ties were at a critical juncture. “We call on the United States to stop soiling and restricting China. Stop interfering in China’s internal affairs. “Bilateral relations can not be improved if the American side cannot do that,” Wei told delegates, dressed in the uniform of a People’s Liberation Army general. Wei accused the United States of trying to “pirate” the support of other nations in the region under the guise of a multilateral approach. In his speech, Austin stressed the need for multilateral cooperation with nations in the Indo-Pacific, which Wei suggested was an attempt to support China in a corner. “No country should impose its will on others or intimidate others under the guise of multilateralism,” Wei said. “The strategy is an attempt to create an exclusive small group in the name of a free and open Indo-Pacific to conquer countries in our region and target a specific country – it is a strategy to create conflict and confrontation to limit and encircle others. . ” But he also gave a more compromising tone on points, calling for a “stable” Sino-US relationship, which he said was “vital to world peace.” During his speech, Austin also said he wanted the “lines of communication” with Chinese officials to remain open. The couple had their first face-to-face talks on the sidelines of the Singapore summit on Friday, during which they clashed over Taiwan. US President Joe Biden, during a visit to Japan last month, appeared to be breaking decades of US policy when, when asked, he said Washington would defend Taiwan militarily if attacked by China. Since then, the White House has insisted that its policy of “strategic ambiguity” over whether or not to intervene has not changed. China is rapidly modernizing its military and seeking to expand its influence and ambitions in the region, recently signing a security deal with the Solomon Islands that many fear could lead to a Chinese naval base in the Pacific, breaking ground. last week on a naval port expansion project in Cambodia that could give Beijing a base in the Gulf of Thailand. In 2021, U.S. officials accused China of testing a supersonic missile, a weapon that is more difficult to counter to missile defense systems, but China insisted it was a “routine test of a spacecraft.” Asked about the test on Sunday, Wei came close to acknowledging that it was a supersonic missile: “As far as supersonic weapons are concerned, many countries are developing weapons, and I do not think it’s surprising that China is doing that. “China will develop its military,” he added. “I think it’s natural.” Also speaking in Singapore on Sunday, South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup said his country would dramatically strengthen its defense capabilities and work closely with the United States to address North Korea’s nuclear and missile threat. Li said the situation on the Korean Peninsula posed a global threat and urged North Korea to immediately end its nuclear weapons and missile programs. “Our government will strengthen its capacity to better implement the extended US deterrent and dramatically enhance its response capacity,” Lee said. North Korea has ousted its key nuclear negotiator as foreign minister, state media reported Saturday as leader Kim Jong Un promised his ruling party he would use “power for power” to fight threats against the country. of the country. North Korea has conducted at least 18 rounds of weapons tests this year, highlighting its evolving nuclear and missile arsenals. With Reuters and Agence France-Presse
