China has issued a stark warning, vowing to “crush” any attempts by Taiwan to break away from the “motherland”.
Defence Chief Dong Jun condemned “dangerous separatists” in Taiwan, asserting that China’s military is prepared to engage forcefully, just a week after conducting extensive invasion drills.
During his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Dong declared that separatists would be “nailed to the pillar of shame in history.”
This harsh rhetoric follows accusations against Taiwan’s newly elected president, Lai Ching-te, who has been accused of erasing Taiwan’s Chinese identity in pursuit of independence.
China has long maintained its claim over Taiwan, threatening invasion to enforce its dominance.
A recent message to Taiwan’s government warned of an imminent “perilous situation of war and danger,” as Dong reiterated that the island would never gain independence.
Dong described the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) as an “indestructible and powerful force” committed to preventing Taiwan’s independence.
“Whoever dares to split Taiwan from China will be crushed to pieces and suffer his own destruction,” he stated.
This comes after China launched significant military drills on May 23 and 24, surrounding Taiwan’s territory.
Warplanes and warships executed a mock invasion, blockading the island for over 24 hours in a show of force dubbed “Joint Sword 2024A.”
Taiwan’s government condemned these drills as “irrational provocations” and swiftly mobilised its naval, air, and ground forces to defend the island’s sovereignty.
Taiwan’s military scrambled jets and placed missile units on high alert.
Beijing’s defence ministry spokesman, Wu Qian, accused Taiwan’s leadership of challenging the one-China principle, pushing the island into a dangerous situation.
He warned that “those who play with fire will surely get themselves burnt,” pointing to China’s commitment to “complete reunification of the motherland.”
Taiwan’s foreign minister has reiterated the nation’s preparedness for war, citing China’s growing stockpile of weapons for a potential invasion.
Analysts fear that Chinese President Xi Jinping is biding his time for an opportune moment to seize Taiwan.
Xi has consistently promised to reunify Taiwan with China by force if necessary, asserting that Taiwan’s “reunification” is a “historical inevitability.”
Taiwan maintains its status as an independent nation, having split from mainland China in 1949 amid civil war.
The narrow Taiwan Strait, only 180 kilometers wide, separates the self-ruled island from China, which has not renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.
The escalating military drills and provocative rhetoric have heightened global tensions, with the United States increasing its commitments to Taiwan in response.
Earlier this year China claimed that they will never give up their claim to Taiwan.
