China’s defense minister accused the U.S. of “smearing” Beijing and said Washington is trying to “hijack” countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Wei Fenghe, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, said the burden of improving the troubled U.S.-China ties lies on Washington. “We request the U.S. side to stop smearing and containing China. Stop interfering in China’s internal affairs. The bilateral relationship cannot improve unless the U.S. side can do that,” he told delegates at the dialogue, Asia’s top defense conference. “However, if you want confrontation, we will fight to the end. The two militaries should make positive efforts for a positive relationship,” Wei added. Wei said U.S. President Joe Biden’s new Indo-Pacific strategy leads to “conflict and confrontation.” The U.S. announced its Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, or IPEF, in May as part of its strategy for the region. The IPEF involves 13 countries and excludes China. “It is a strategy to create conflict and confrontation to contain and encircle others,” he said. “China seeks peace and stability, and is not an aggressor in the Indo-Pacific,” he said, calling on the U.S. to “strengthen solidarity and oppose confrontation and division.”
On Sunday, Wei also issued a terse warning on Taiwan, which China regards as a breakaway province that is to be reunified with the mainland, by force as a last resort. China will fight any attempts by Taiwan to declare independence to the “last man,” he said. “We will fight at all costs and we will fight to the very end. This is the only choice for China,” he said. “Those who pursue Taiwanese independence in an attempt to split China will definitely come to no good end.” “It is China’s Taiwan, a province of China. We will realize the reunification of Taiwan,” Wei said. His speech came a day after U.S. Defense Secretary Austin accused China of “provocative, destabilizing” military activity close to the island.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/12/shangri-la-chinese-defense-minister-on-us-china-tensions-taiwan.html
