- Chinese Military warns against “Bloc Confrontation” in Response to Biden’s “Indo-Pacific Strategy”
Pune, India. 28 May 2021. Post a US warships passage in the Taiwan Straits, China has been reiterating the “One-China Principle”. In a series of press releases China can be seen berating US, Australia, and Japan for “sending wrong signals to Taiwan Independence separatist forces”.
In light of concern over the procurement of the M109A6 self-propelled howitzer and the AIM-120 medium-range air-to-air missile, the Chinese spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defence asserts, “We firmly oppose any country selling weapons to Taiwan or having military interactions in any form with Taiwan”.
China urges the US side to abide by the basic principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs, keep its solemn commitments to China on the Taiwan question, handle Taiwan-related issues carefully and properly, cease official exchanges and military contacts in any form with the island and stop arms sales to Taiwan.
The spokesperson emphasized that, “No strategy should instigate countries to establish selective military alliances or to create the ‘New Cold War’, “the zero-sum game will only lead to more division, antagonism and chaos”. While on a dissonant note, the US Navy’s 7th Fleet said in a statement “the ship’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific”.
Meanwhile, China advises Japan to “be cautious in words and deeds concerning China’s Sovereignty”. It condemns Japan’s “total disregard of the basic norms governing international relations” in deliberately “hyping-up the so-called ‘Chinese military threat’”. This was in response to the Japanese Defence White Paper 2021 that mentions that “a stable Taiwan situation is of great importance to Japan’s security”. In response, the Chinese spokesperson urged Japan to reflect upon its own history of aggression against the Chinese people, including the “Taiwan compatriots”.
With regards to Australia, devoid of details, a Chinese statement expressed China’s dissatisfaction, “China-Australia relations are faced with serious difficulties, and the responsibility lies squarely with the Australian side. We hope the Australian side will not go further down the wrong path and can do more things conducive to the development of relations between the two countries and the two militaries.”
China also urges that the US must not, on the one hand, claim to put up new defence hotlines, while on the other hand, keep ramping up military deployments in the Asian Pacific region, frequently conduct close-in reconnaissance on China, and even deliberately initiate dangerous circumstances “where aircraft and vessels nearly collide”. China advises the US to keep their word, display sincerity, work with the Chinese to push for a “stable development of mil-to-mil relations”. Chine is encouraging the intensification of dialogue and the effective handling of divergences.
