Chinese Defence Minister General Li Shangfu has asserted that all attempts by the “international community” to contain China using the Taiwan issue are bound to fail. General Li was targeting the US’s attempt to provoke tension in the South China Sea and the Strait of Taiwan using its military prowess to provoke Beijing.
General Li made these remarks while speaking at the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security, which was not attended by the US-led western bloc. The Chinese defence minister emphasised that the Taiwan question is a matter of China’s internal affairs and Beijing won’t allow any external interference, adding that “China’s reunification is a historical trend.”
The US, despite endorsing the “One China Policy” in principle during the foundation of Sino-US relations in 1971-72, has been accused of promoting hostility against China in the breakaway, self-proclaimed island-state. Several US state actors are allegedly sponsoring the “Taiwanese independence” movement, which Beijing has accused of being secessionist and a violation of its sovereignty under the “One China Policy”.
The Chinese defence minister also highlighted Global Security Initiative advocates a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and aims to create a new path to security that features “dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance and win-win over zero-sum relationships”.
According to General Li, the Global Security Initiative carries the aspiration of world peace, the wish for harmonious coexistence and the pursuit of common development. Moscow has been supporting China’s position on Taiwan and has criticised the US’s intervention in the region to stoke tension.
General Li asserted at the Moscow meeting that the Chinese military is a “staunch force for world peace and stability”, saying it is ready to work with the militaries of all countries to continuously strengthen mutual trust in military security strategies and practical cooperation in various specialised fields, to build a common platform for security cooperation, and to make new and greater contributions to the maintenance of global security.
During the meeting, General Li held talks with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, exchanging views on the relationship and cooperation between the two militaries, and also held bilateral meetings with leaders of the defence departments and militaries of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Vietnam and other countries.
The Chinese defence minister is visiting Russia and Belarus from August 14th to 19th in a show of solidarity with these countries that are facing harsh western sanctions. The Chinese minister’s trip, overlooking the objections from the West, signals the importance Beijing is giving to its ties with Moscow and Minsk during this phase of global polarisation against the US-led western bloc.
