Chinese language Protection Minister Dong Jun delivers a speech on the twenty first Shangri-La Dialogue Summit in Singapore on June 2, 2024.
Nguyen Nhac AFP | Getty Pictures
SINGAPORE – Chinese language Protection Minister Normal Dong Jun has vowed that anybody who makes an attempt to separate Taiwan from China will face “self-destruction”.
On the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, the final known as on “Taiwan independence forces” to “quit their illusions and return to the appropriate observe of reunification.”
He stated: “Anybody who dares to separate Taiwan from China will solely result in his personal destruction in the long run.”
In response to questions, Dong reiterated China’s place that Taiwan is a part of China and stated Beijing was dedicated to peaceable reunification.
Taiwan is a democratic and self-governing island that just lately took workplace on Could 20 with a brand new president.
In speeches and questions and solutions, Dong repeatedly accused separatist forces of eroding the “one China” precept that expresses Beijing’s view of sovereignty over Taiwan. The admiral stated newly elected Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te “blatantly” expressed his Taiwanese independence ambitions in his inauguration speech.
He additionally accused the ruling Democratic Progressive Get together of attempting to amend Taiwan’s structure to “erase Chinese language id”, stop people-to-people exchanges between Taiwan and mainland China, and improve its navy capabilities to advertise independence.
Taiwan has been shopping for U.S. navy {hardware} for many years, with current purchases together with superior M1A2 Abrams tanks, modernized F-16 fighter jets and long-range artillery methods.
“Exterior forces”
China’s protection minister additionally pointed the finger at unnamed “exterior forces,” claiming they assist Taiwanese separatists.
“We all know that some main international locations proceed to hole out the ‘one-China’ precept, distort information and even misread UN Normal Meeting resolutions,” Dong stated.
With out naming a selected nation, Dong additionally claimed that the enormous nation “violated its commitments to China once we established diplomatic relations.”
“They proceed to check China’s crimson strains, akin to official contacts and arms gross sales to Taiwan,” he stated.
“This sort of habits sends a really improper sign to Taiwan independence forces and makes them turn into very aggressive. I feel the aim of overseas forces is clear: they’re attempting to make use of Taiwan to comprise China.”
America doesn’t have a mutual protection treaty with Taiwan and has no obligation to defend Taiwan. However the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act – enacted after america shifted to establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing – stipulates that america “will present to Taiwan such protection articles and protection companies as could also be required” to “allow Taiwan to keep up enough self-defense skill”.
Though Dong had already devoted his speech to discussing China’s considerations about Taiwan, he continued to elaborate on these points in his first response through the Q&A session. When the plenary chair, Bastian Giglic of the Worldwide Institute for Strategic Research, reminded everybody to reply delegates’ questions on different points, Dong requested to complete the solutions on Taiwan, calling it “the core of our core pursuits.” .
He added, “Confronted with the highly effective Folks’s Liberation Military, their efforts are in useless and their efforts can solely result in accelerated destruction. [This will] It would solely hurt the pursuits of the Taiwanese folks. That is the very last thing we need to see in China.
South China Sea tensions
Dong additionally touched on different points, one among which referred to feedback by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that killing a Filipino citizen within the South China Sea could be “very shut” to an act of struggle.
Though the protection secretary claimed that the Philippines illegally grounded its touchdown ship on Second Thomas Shoal in 1999, he stated Beijing and Manila had been discussing and resolving the problem peacefully.
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Dong famous that the 2 international locations have reached a number of agreements acknowledged by the present and former Philippine governments, akin to permitting provides to the ship’s garrison. Manila deployed a resupply mission to the shoal, stationing a small drive based mostly on an ageing warship that was deliberately grounded in 1999 to guard Manila’s maritime claims.
“However just lately, they began to not know one another [these agreements] by no means. This can be a unilateral breach of dedication on their half…I feel that is extortion and hijacking of the foundations. We at all times discuss a sound worldwide order; [but] I do not assume it is morally proper both,” he stated.
In distinction, China’s protection minister described the China Coast Guard’s actions as “very restrained in accordance with our legal guidelines.”
“Our coverage has been constant over the previous a number of many years. We’re dedicated to the peaceable decision of disputes. However I’d additionally say that there might be limits to our tolerance for deliberate provocation.”
Whereas delegates requested questions on different points, together with Ukraine and ongoing conflicts within the Center East, most of Dong’s solutions centered on Taiwan and the South China Sea.