Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun has issued a stark warning that China's military is prepared to forcefully prevent Taiwan from seeking independence.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a major security forum in Singapore, Dong delivered one of the harshest statements on the Taiwan issue in recent years.
"Anyone who dares to split Taiwan from China will be crushed to pieces and destroyed," Dong declared.
“Taiwan is part of China... and China stays committed to peaceful reunification. However, this opportunity is gradually being eroded by separatists for Taiwan independence and external forces,” Dong warned.
He urged what he called the "Taiwan independence forces" to "give up their illusions and return to the right track of unification."
His comments came just a week after China conducted military drills around Taiwan in response to the inauguration of Taiwan's new president, Lai Ching-te.
Dong Jun said that the Taiwan issue is "the core of China's core interests", and the one-China principle has long been recognized by the world as a basic norm of international relations with China.
"We know that some major powers have continuously hollowed out the 'one China' principle, distorted facts, and even misinterpreted UN General Assembly resolutions," he said.
Without naming any specific country but in a likely reference to the United States, Dong also claimed a big country "violated their commitment to China when we established diplomatic relations."
They keep testing China’s red lines, such as official contacts and arms sales to Taiwan,” he said.
"This behavior sends a very wrong signal to the Taiwan independence forces and makes them very aggressive. I think the purpose of foreign forces is very clear: they are trying to use Taiwan to contain China."
Taiwan's government responded to Dong's remarks, calling them "provocative and irrational."
