China will not refrain from using force against Taiwan; Xi visits frontline islands

China will not be subject to the refusal to use forces over Taiwan, the government in Beijing said Wednesday after another war game war and the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the scene of the famous defeat for Taiwanese forces.

China, which views democratic Taiwan as its own territory, staged a large-scale exercise across the island on Monday that it said was a warning against “separatist acts” following a national day speech last week by Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.

“We are willing to earnestly pursue the prospect of reunification with sincerity and effort,” China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua said at a regular press conference in Beijing.

“But we will not commit to rejecting the use of force,” he said.

Instead, it targeted the intervention of “external forces” and a very small number of Taiwanese separatists, not the majority of Taiwanese people, Chen said. Taiwan has close, albeit unofficial, ties with the United States, a major arms supplier, and ally.

“No matter how many Taiwanese troops there are and how many weapons they acquire, and no matter whether outside forces intervene or not, if (Taiwan) dares to take risks, it will cause its own destruction,” he said.

“Our action to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity will not stop for a moment.”

Chinese state media reported on Wednesday that President Xi had arrived the day before on Dongshan island in China’s Fujian province, which faces Taiwan and in 1953 China defeated an invasion attempt by the Taiwan-based military.

The defeated government of the Republic of China fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with communist Mao Zedong. No ceasefire or peace treaty has been signed.

Xi is on the island to learn about efforts to revive the countryside and “pass the red gene and strengthen the protection of cultural heritage,” the official People’s Daily said, referring to the Communist Party’s colors.

He asked officials from Fujian to promote cross-strait cultural exchanges, and “enhance the ethnic, cultural and national identity of Taiwanese people,” according to the Xinhua news agency.

Taiwan’s government rejects China’s claim of sovereignty, saying only the islanders can decide their future.

Speaking to reporters in Taipei earlier on Wednesday, Director General of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau Tsai Ming-yen said China’s exercises had been pushed back because of the resulting international condemnation, particularly from Washington.

“China’s communist military training has created a negative effect because the international community is more supportive of Taiwan,” he said.

Lai, in a speech on October 10, said that China has no right to represent Taiwan, but that the island is willing to cooperate with the government in Beijing to fight challenges like climate change, in a firm and conciliatory tone that Taiwanese officials have said. show his will.

Chen, the Chinese spokesman, said Lai maintained a “stubborn separatist position”.

“There is no good intention to speak,” Chen said.

Lai has repeatedly offered to negotiate with China but has been rejected.

China’s military on Monday opened up the possibility of more drills around Taiwan depending on the level of “provocation”.

In a report to lawmakers, a copy of which was seen by Reuters, Taiwan’s defense ministry said China was trying to legitimize the use of force against Taiwan, to damage military morale and “reduce the military’s combat power”.

“In response to the severity of the enemy’s threat, the military continues to maintain a high level of alertness and strive for all training and readiness,” he said.

China has for the past five years sent warships and warplanes into the waters and skies around Taiwan on a daily basis.

On Wednesday morning, in its daily update on Chinese activity over the previous 24 hours, Taiwan’s defense ministry said it had detected 22 Chinese military aircraft and five naval vessels in the vicinity of Taiwan.