China “would not hesitate to start a war” if Taiwan declared its independence, a defense ministry spokesman said after a meeting in Singapore between the Chinese defense minister and his US counterpart on Friday.
“If anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese military will not hesitate to start a war, no matter the cost,” Wu Qian said, quoting Defense Secretary Wei Fenghe during a meeting with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
He also said Beijing would “postpone” any plans for the island’s independence and would “resolutely advocate the unification of the motherland”, according to the Chinese ministry.
The leaders of both countries held their first meeting in Singapore on the sidelines of the Shangri-la Dialogue, a forum on security.
According to the ministry, Wei insisted that Taiwan belonged to China and that the United States should not “use Taiwan to control China.”
The Pentagon urged Austin to “avoid further destabilizing actions against Taiwan”.
Taiwan, a self-governing democratic island, lives under the constant threat of Chinese invasion.
China considers this island with a population of 24 million as one of its provinces. Although he did not control the area, he promised to take it by force one day if necessary.
source: Noticias
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