China issued a stern warning to anyone who would support an independent Taiwan, a day after US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin accused Beijing of 'destabilising' military activity:
Defence Minister Wei Fenghe hit back in a fiery address at the same event, saying Beijing had "no choice" but to fight if attempts are made to separate Taiwan from China."No one should ever underestimate the resolve and ability of the Chinese armed forces to safeguard its territorial integrity."
But he also struck a more conciliatory tone at points, calling for a "stable" China-US relationship, which he said was "vital for global peace". President Joe Biden, during a visit to Japan last month, appeared to break decades of US policy when, in response to a question, he said Washington would defend Taiwan militarily if it was attacked by China.
China's expansive claims to the sea, through which trillions of dollars in shipping trade passes annually, have stoked tensions with rival claimants, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. "Some big power has long practised navigation hegemony on the pretext of freedom of navigation," he said. "It has flexed its muscles by sending warships and warplanes on a rampage in the South China Sea."
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