China hardened its tone against Taiwan and hence the U.S., warning that “independence means war” and that its armed forces were taking steps to respond to foreign provocation and interference. Questioned at a monthly press briefing on recent air force activities, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman wu Qian reiterated that Taiwan was an integral part of China.
“The military activities carried out by the People’s Liberation Army of China in the Taiwan Strait are necessary actions to address the current security situation in the Taiwan Strait and to safeguard national sovereignty and security,” he reiterated.
“They are a solemn response to outside interference and provocations by the Taiwan Independence Forces,” he added.
The Chinese incursions coincided with the entry of a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group into the South China Sea.
Wu said a “handful” of people in Taiwan were seeking the island’s independence.
“We warn these elements of ‘Taiwan’s independence’: those who play with fire will eventually burn themselves, and Taiwan’s independence means war. Biden, who has been in office for a week, reaffirmed his commitment to Taiwan as “rock-solid”, which could herald new tensions with Beijing.
“The United States rejects China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea beyond what is permitted under international law and supports Southeast Asian countries that resist its pressure,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.
This comes at a time when China has given the Coast Guard the power to fire on foreign vessels in disputed waters. A war against the Chinese navy is far from being a walk in the park.
“PLAN (People Liberation Army Navy) has moved from a coastal force to one with an expanding offshore capability. This capability goes beyond the anti-surface warfare (ASuW) in which the navy was traditionally strong, to incorporate robust anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) and greatly enhanced anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities. ASuW continues to improve with the introduction of more powerful missiles that can be launched from air, surface, submarine, and coastal platforms,” said areion24.news.
“The AAW capability is probably one of the most remarkable changes – with short-range point defense systems (the QG-7 based on the design of the French Crotale). The PLAN has made significant advances in a real AAW defense capability, which has been greatly aided by the earlier acquisition of Russian AAW systems. Anti-submarine warfare goes beyond the use of Cold War-era rocket-propelled warheads (based on the Soviet RBU system and analogous to it), which were optimized primarily for use in shallow waters, to integrate them as standard with surface ASW torpedoes, the site adds.
by Basit Abbasi – CCTV