International Relations

Chinese Defence Minister vows to never give an ‘inch’ of Taiwan, South China Sea

Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe Thursday during the opening of the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing remarked that China would never give ‘an inch’ of its territory, referring to Taiwan and the disputed waters of the South China Sea, AP reported.

“If someone tries to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese armed forces will take action at any price,” Wei warned.

China’s military ties with the United States are important and sensitive, he said, adding Taiwan is a “core” interest and Beijing opposes displays of strength by “outside forces” in the South China Sea.

The remarks occurs after US imposed sanctions on Beijing’s military, a consequence of its harsh trade war against US. Washington’s backing of Taiwan and its military position in the Sea has stirred concerns within China.

Both the countries need to deepen high-level ties to navigate tension and rein in the risk of inadvertent conflict, US defence chief James Mattis told his Chinese counterpart last week.

The US sanctions on the military came after China bought weapons from Russia. The US also cropped up fresh tensions by sending two warships through the Taiwan Strait in a second operation.

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