China warns US not to ‘play with fire' over Taiwan
China has warned the United States against 'playing with fire' over Taiwan in response to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calling the Asian power a 'threat to the region' at a high-profile summit in Singapore.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday, Hegseth said China was 'credibly preparing' for military action to shift Asia's power balance, accusing Beijing of rehearsing a potential invasion of Taiwan.
China considers Taiwan, a separately governed island, to be a part of its territory and has vowed reunification by force if necessary. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future.
Hegseth's remarks provoked a swift rebuke from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which stressed that Taiwan remains a domestic matter, warning foreign powers against using the issue as leverage. It described US actions in Asia Pacific as turning the region into a 'powder keg'.
'The US should not entertain illusions about using the Taiwan question as a bargaining chip to contain China, nor should it play with fire,' it said.
Hegseth had called on allies in the Asia Pacific region, including key security ally Australia, to spend more on defence after warning of the 'real and potentially imminent' threat from China.
Calling the US a 'true destabilising' force in the Asia Pacific, Beijing accused Washington of deploying offensive weapons in the South China Sea and aggravating regional tensions.
Beijing accused Hegseth of 'vilifying China with defamatory allegations' and promoting a 'Cold War mentality'.
'Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a threat,' the ministry said, adding that it had lodged a formal protest with the US over what it described as 'inflammatory rhetoric'.
China and the Philippines contest sovereignty over some islands and atolls in the South China Sea, with growing maritime run-ins between their coastguards as both vie to patrol the waters.
Beijing also rejected US claims about threats to maritime navigation, insisting it has consistently promoted dialogue to resolve regional disputes and safeguarded its territorial rights within the bounds of international law.
'The US is the biggest factor undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea,' the statement read.
China's Defence Minister Dong Jun skipped the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier security forum, with Beijing sending a delegation of lower-ranking representatives instead.
It was the first time since 2019 that China has not dispatched its defence minister to the high-level dialogue on regional defence, except when the event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tensions are already high between China and the US – the world's two biggest economic powers – over Trump's ongoing trade war and tariff threats.
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Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Qatar Tribune
China warns US not to ‘play with fire' over Taiwan
BeijingcTypeface:> China has warned the United States against 'playing with fire' over Taiwan in response to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calling the Asian power a 'threat to the region' at a high-profile summit in Singapore. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday, Hegseth said China was 'credibly preparing' for military action to shift Asia's power balance, accusing Beijing of rehearsing a potential invasion of Taiwan. China considers Taiwan, a separately governed island, to be a part of its territory and has vowed reunification by force if necessary. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future. Hegseth's remarks provoked a swift rebuke from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which stressed that Taiwan remains a domestic matter, warning foreign powers against using the issue as leverage. It described US actions in Asia Pacific as turning the region into a 'powder keg'. 'The US should not entertain illusions about using the Taiwan question as a bargaining chip to contain China, nor should it play with fire,' it said. Hegseth had called on allies in the Asia Pacific region, including key security ally Australia, to spend more on defence after warning of the 'real and potentially imminent' threat from China. Calling the US a 'true destabilising' force in the Asia Pacific, Beijing accused Washington of deploying offensive weapons in the South China Sea and aggravating regional tensions. Beijing accused Hegseth of 'vilifying China with defamatory allegations' and promoting a 'Cold War mentality'. 'Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a threat,' the ministry said. (Agencies)
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Al Jazeera
China warns US not to ‘play with fire' over Taiwan
China has warned the United States against 'playing with fire' over Taiwan in response to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calling the Asian power a 'threat to the region' at a high-profile summit in Singapore. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday, Hegseth said China was 'credibly preparing' for military action to shift Asia's power balance, accusing Beijing of rehearsing a potential invasion of Taiwan. China considers Taiwan, a separately governed island, to be a part of its territory and has vowed reunification by force if necessary. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future. Hegseth's remarks provoked a swift rebuke from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which stressed that Taiwan remains a domestic matter, warning foreign powers against using the issue as leverage. It described US actions in Asia Pacific as turning the region into a 'powder keg'. 'The US should not entertain illusions about using the Taiwan question as a bargaining chip to contain China, nor should it play with fire,' it said. Hegseth had called on allies in the Asia Pacific region, including key security ally Australia, to spend more on defence after warning of the 'real and potentially imminent' threat from China. Calling the US a 'true destabilising' force in the Asia Pacific, Beijing accused Washington of deploying offensive weapons in the South China Sea and aggravating regional tensions. Beijing accused Hegseth of 'vilifying China with defamatory allegations' and promoting a 'Cold War mentality'. 'Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a threat,' the ministry said, adding that it had lodged a formal protest with the US over what it described as 'inflammatory rhetoric'. China and the Philippines contest sovereignty over some islands and atolls in the South China Sea, with growing maritime run-ins between their coastguards as both vie to patrol the waters. Beijing also rejected US claims about threats to maritime navigation, insisting it has consistently promoted dialogue to resolve regional disputes and safeguarded its territorial rights within the bounds of international law. 'The US is the biggest factor undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea,' the statement read. China's Defence Minister Dong Jun skipped the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier security forum, with Beijing sending a delegation of lower-ranking representatives instead. It was the first time since 2019 that China has not dispatched its defence minister to the high-level dialogue on regional defence, except when the event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tensions are already high between China and the US – the world's two biggest economic powers – over Trump's ongoing trade war and tariff threats.
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
US Defense Secretary Hegseth warns of growing Chinese threat
dpa Bangkok US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday warned of a rapidly growing threat from China in the Indo-Pacific region, saying that China is preparing to eventually invade Taiwan, but the United States will not allow its allies to be 'subordinated.' The US is very closely monitoring Beijing's 'destabilizing actions,' Hegseth said in a speech on Saturday, the second day of the three-day Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore. He warned of 'catastrophic consequences' in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory, despite Taiwan having had an independent, democratically elected government for decades. The People's Republic aims to annex Taiwan and has already threatened military action if peaceful means fail. Unlike last year, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun did not attend the conference. Observers believe Beijing deliberately avoided a potential meeting with Hegseth. China is building a military it needs to invade Taiwan, Hegseth said. It is 'training for it every day, and rehearsing for the real deal,' the Pentagon chief said. 'There is no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent.' He stressed that it must be clear to everyone that Beijing is concretely preparing to use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. 'We know, it's public, that [Chinese President] Xi [Jinping] has ordered his military to be capable of invading Taiwan by 2027.' Hegseth accused China of seeking to become the hegemonic power in Asia, aiming to dominate and control the entire region. He stated that the US does not seek conflict 'with Communist China. We will not instigate nor seek to subjugate or humiliate,' he added. However the US 'will not be pushed out of this critical region, and we will not let our allies and partners be subordinated and intimidated.' The conference in Singapore brought together hundreds of ministers, military officials and experts from around the world to discuss current crises and threats. During the opening on Friday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron warned of a global divide caused by the great powers, the United States and China. He also called for closer cooperation between Europe and Asia and advocated for a 'coalition of independence' based on universal values.
