Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun said peaceful “unification” with Taiwan remains China’s goal but that prospects are undermined by Taiwanese “separatists” and outside forces.
Taiwan is democratically governed and has never been ruled by the Communist Party of China. On May 20, newly elected President Lai Ching-te took office. This routine democratic transition has angered the Chinese Communist Party, which has conducted military drills across Taiwan as a form of “punishment.”
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Tung said Taiwan was “at the heart of core issues” for China. He accused the island’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party of gradually pursuing separatism and trying to erase Chinese identity.
In a speech to defense officials and politicians around the world, Tung, using fiery language of his own, accused Taiwan’s leaders of “fanatical rhetoric”.
“They are [‘separatists’] “The People’s Liberation Army is an indestructible force that safeguards the unity of the motherland, and will always act resolutely and forcefully to thwart Taiwan independence and ensure that the attempt never succeeds,” he said.
“Anyone who tries to separate Taiwan from China will be crushed to pieces and will destroy themselves.”
Tung took several questions from delegates after his speech, but was so preoccupied with Taiwan that the moderator encouraged him to talk about other issues. Tung accused foreign forces of meddling in “domestic affairs” and “empowering Taiwanese separatists.” He said he was “very confident in our ability to prevent Taiwan independence.”
China resents U.S. support for Taiwan, including arms sales, but the United States, like many other countries, does not diplomatically recognise Taiwan as a country.
“They are selling a lot of weapons to Taiwan,” Tung said. “These actions send a very wrong signal to Taiwanese independence forces and make them very aggressive. I think it’s clear that the real aim of foreign forces is to use Taiwan to contain China.”
Former Taiwan defense minister Andrew Yang said Beijing seeks “unification” by winning the hearts and minds of Taiwanese people, but “their actions have not yet matched their words.” Beijing instead “wields a big stick” and is “confrontational and contradictory,” he said. Yang said he hopes the U.S. will stick to its schedule of selling arms to Taiwan for self-defense.
Mr Lai has repeatedly requested talks with Beijing but has been rebuffed. He called on China to stop hostile acts and said Taiwan’s future could only be decided by the Taiwanese people.
At the annual security forum in Singapore, Dong met with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, marking the first substantive face-to-face meeting between the Chinese and U.S. defense chiefs in 18 months. “We are always open to exchanges and cooperation, but this requires compromise from both sides,” Dong told the forum. “I believe there needs to be more exchanges because there are differences between our militaries.”
Tung and Austin met for more than an hour. After the meeting, Austin said calls between U.S. and Chinese military commanders would resume “in the coming months.” China suspended military communications with the United States in 2022 following then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
Reuters, Agence France-Presse
