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The American and Chinese defense ministers exchanged on June 10 about Taiwan, Beijing promising to “break” any attempt at independence of the island territory and Washington calling on China to “refrain from destabilizing” the island.
During a meeting in Singapore on the sidelines of the “Shangri-La Dialogue” security forum, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin called on his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe to “refrain” from any further destabilizing action against the island of Taiwan.
In response, the Chinese Ministry of Defense assured that his country would “smash into a thousand pieces” any attempt at independence of the island that Beijing considers to be an integral part of its territory.
“If anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese military will not hesitate for a moment to start a war, no matter what the cost,” also said a Chinese defense spokesman, reporting the remarks by Minister Wei Fenghe addressed to his American counterpart.
Increased military pressure around Taiwan
After talking by phone in April, the two ministers met for the first time in Singapore on the sidelines of a forum that brings together senior military officials, diplomats and arms giants.
The subjects of friction have multiplied in recent years between the two countries: South China Sea, growing influence of China in Asia-Pacific, conflict in Ukraine or even Taiwan.
China considers this island with a population of 24 million to be one of its historical provinces, even if it does not control the territory.
And Beijing has in recent years increased military pressure against Taiwan, simultaneously with the multiplication of arms contracts concluded between Washington and Taipei.
As reported by AFP, the meeting between Wei Fenghe and Lloyd Austin comes a few weeks after the incursion of 30 Chinese military planes into the air defense identification zone (“Adiz”) of Taiwan – the largest operation of this kind in 2022.
In addition, in early June, Beijing reacted strongly to the start of trade talks between Washington and Taipei.
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