Singapore –

Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe issued a warning about foreign interference on Taiwan while criticizing the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy as fueling regional tensions and divisions in the region.

Speaking during the regional Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore on Sunday, Gen. Wei, who is also a Chinese state councilor, reiterated Beijing’s opposition to what he described as U.S. “meddling” in regional affairs and urged Washington not to let competition define Sino-U.S. ties, saying this would be a “strategic mistake.”

Wei also spoke about the invasion of Ukraine, offering Beijing’s role as a mediator while condemning the sanctions and “maximum pressure” policies being implemented against Russia.

Ready to fight

However, the defense minister reserved his strongest remarks on the issue of Taiwan, saying at this year’s conference that China “will definitely realize reunification” with the island, as this is a “historical trend that no one and no force can stop.”

“Taiwan is first and foremost China’s Taiwan. It’s an internal affair of China,” said the minister, pointing out that Beijing is willing to make the “greatest efforts” to achieve “peaceful reunification.”

At the same time, the general, who was speaking on the principles that guide China’s vision for regional order, issued a blunt warning to Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party. “The United States fought a civil war for its unity. Although China never wants such a civil war, we will resolutely crush any attempt to pursue Taiwan independence ... . If anyone dares to secede Taiwan from China we will not hesitate to fight. We will fight at all costs. And we will fight to the very end. This is the only choice for China.”

Wei also warned about “foreign interference” on this issue, saying that it is “doomed to failure.” Without mentioning the United States by name, Wei claimed that Washington has violated its promise on the “One China” principle by supporting “separatist forces” on the island, playing the “Taiwan card,” and citing the Taiwan Relations Act to interfere in the matter. “The pursuit of Taiwan independence is a dead end. Stop the delusion,” he warned, telling Taipei that soliciting foreign support “will never work.”

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who has been implementing a new defense strategy to enhance the island’s deterrence and self-defense capabilities has repeatedly stated that Taipei has no need to formally declare independence as the self-ruled island is already a functionally independent country with its own government and democratic system.

A diplomatic resolution of the issue has become increasingly unlikely as China has grown more assertive in recent years, intensifying aerial and naval exercises around the island.

Containing China

Referring to Sino-U.S. ties, the general said Beijing opposes using competition to define the bilateral relation, arguing that a stable relationship best serves the interests of both countries and the rest of the world.

“China and the U.S. are two important major countries and bilateral cooperation is vital for global peace and development. Confrontation won’t benefit either country,” he said, adding that it would be a “historic and strategic mistake” to insist on seeing China as a threat, an adversary, or even an enemy.

He also called on Washington to “stop smearing and containing China, stop interfering in China's internal affairs and stop harming China's interests,” warning that bilateral relationship “cannot improve unless the U.S. side can do that.”

The Indo-Pacific strategy

The general said that the best way to tackle the multiple crises of today — from the Ukraine war to the COVID-19 pandemic — is to uphold and practice multilateralism, strengthen coordination and oppose confrontation and division.

“We are all in the same boat and we cannot overcome them unless we work together. We must say ‘no’ to exclusive blocks, confrontation, containment, decoupling and supply disruption. Building a high wall around one's turf and forming parallel systems can only split the world and undermine the shared interests of all countries,” the general said, while criticizing Washington’s U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy as an attempt to “hijack countries in our region and target one specific country. It is a strategy to create conflict and confrontation to contain and encircle others.”

“Political global affairs should be handled through consultation by all stakeholders, instead of being dictated by just one country or small group of countries. No one and no country should impose its will on others or bully others under the guise of multilateralism.”

In this context, he urged Southeast Asian countries to prevent other countries from “meddling” in regional affairs and turning the resource-rich area into “troubled waters” by practicing “navigation hegemony” and “flexing its muscles” using warplanes and warships.

Consultation vs. confrontation

Regarding the South China Sea disputes, Wei said China respects freedom of navigation in the region and advocates settling maritime disputes through “friendly consultation” with the countries involved.

In this regard Wei called for the “full and effective implementation” of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and for progress to be made in consultations toward completing a code of conduct.

At the same time, he expressed Beijing’s readiness to fight, if necessary. “We do not provoke troubles, but we will not flinch in the face of provocation ... . If anyone dares to attack us, the PLA will not hesitate to fight back and defeat the aggressor.”

Regarding Russia’s invasion on Ukraine, Wei renewed China’s offer to mediate between Moscow and Kyiv while urging the U.S. and NATO to also engage in talks with Russia. Moreover, the minister said he opposes policies sanctioning or applying maximum pressure on Moscow, arguing that this is not solving the problem. The general also spoke about the state of Sino-Russian ties, saying that these are developing “on the right path” and will continue to grow, but denied providing any sort of military assistance to support Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The minister also touched on the issue of China’s growing nuclear arsenal, saying that the country has seen impressive progress in this field over the past five decades, and noting that all new nuclear weapon systems shown in recent military parades have entered service. “China will keep the type of nuclear arsenal required to prevent nuclear war,” said the general, while emphasizing that this development is “not intended to threaten other countries or seek hegemony.”

Competing Indo-Pacific visions

Both the U.S. and China are using the Shangri-La Dialogue to rally support for their competing visions on regional peace and stability. Wei’s remarks came after U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the previous day that Washington remains committed to its allies, partners and like-minded countries amid concerns that a crisis similar to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could erupt in Asia.

Austin singled out the situation in the Taiwan Strait, reiterating that while Washington does not support Taiwanese independence, it is seeing “growing coercion from Beijing.” He emphasized that while the U.S. does not want conflict, confrontation or a new cold war that would split the region into hostile blocs, it will defend its interests “without flinching.”

Wei and Austin had met on Friday on the sidelines of the international security forum. During their first-ever in person meeting, the two ministers discussed bilateral defense relations as well as global and regional security issues such as North Korea, Taiwan and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The U.S. threat to China

According to Yun Sun, Director of the China Program at the Washington-based Stimson Center, Beijing aims to dispel and displace the U.S. security presence in China’s immediate neighborhood — and in the Asia-Pacific more generally — as it regards Washington’s leading role as the most significant threat to China’s national security as well as the primary obstacle to unification with Taiwan.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, China has emerged more confident of its “destiny” to displace the U.S. in the Asia-Pacific. Beijing wishes to be more capable of protecting its interests within its borders and in the region, which is why it seeks to check the U.S. military presence and security alliances, wrote Yun in the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ latest Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment.

Against this backdrop, countering the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, regional frameworks such as "the Quad" group of nations and military cooperation partnerships such as AUKUS have emerged as significant challenges. For Chinese strategic thinkers, the real danger is how AUKUS (and the United States’ coalition-building) will contribute to the regional arms race, wrote Yun.

Regarding U.S-Taiwanese relations, the analyst pointed out that, short of war, China considers itself unable to prevent the strengthening of such ties. “It can only escalate its show of force, hoping that Washington and Taipei will be compelled to show restraint.

“Although the prevailing sense in the Chinese policy community is that peaceful unification is becoming less likely, few anticipate that Chinese President Xi Jinping will attack Taiwan in the immediate future. The fragile peace could nonetheless be affected by an accidental conflict or escalation,” Yun added.