The Chinese government has strongly reacted to statements made by US Defense Minister Pete hegseth regarding Taiwan. The Chinese ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Sunday that “The United States should not try to use the topic of Taiwan as a means of pressure to keep China in checking and they shouldn’t play with the fire.”

According to the government in Beijing, Hegseth’s remarks were “disparaging”, “regrettable” and “geared towards sowing split”. The ministry asserted that hegseth intentionally ignored calls for peace and development in the region, rather promoting a Cold war mentality and incorrectly portraying China as a threat.

Hegseth had cautioned at the Shangri-LA security conference in Singapore about potential military action against Taiwan, stating there are “clear and credible” indications that China “is preparing to possibly use military violence in order to change the balance of power in the Indopazacifik.” He also accused the People’s Republic of pressing neighboring countries and “illegally confiscating and militaining land in the South China Sea”.

China Views Taiwan as an “Inner Matter”

“The United States should not try to use the topic of Taiwan as a means of pressure to keep China in checking and they shouldn’t play with the fire.”

China considers Taiwan, a self-governing democratic island, as a renegade province that must be reunited with the mainland, even if it requires military force. The People’s Republic frequently conducts military exercises in the waters surrounding Taiwan. The USA remains Taiwan’s primary supplier of military equipment.

China’s Defense Minister Dong Jun did not attend the conference in Singapore. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has consistently maintained that the Taiwan issue is China’s “inner matter” and that external powers should not interfere.

In response to Hegseth’s expansion allegations, the Foreign Ministry in Beijing declared that China is defending “its territorial sovereignty and rights and interests in the sea in accordance with applicable law”. They further claimed that the United States is turning the Indopazacifik into a powder keg by deploying weapons in the South China Sea.