Chinese President Xi Jinping
Singapore: China warned on Sunday that it is ready to "forcefully" stop the independence of Taiwan. However, it has called for greater exchanges with the United States, Agence France-Presse reported.
Chinese Defence Minister Doug Jun claimed at a forum in Singapore that China has always been open to exchanges and cooperation, but China and the US must meet each other halfway.
Dong met US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Singapore on Friday. The forum, Shangri-La Dialogue, was an annual security thing but was the first substantiative face-to-face talk between the two defence chiefs.
"We believe that we need more exchanges precisely because there are differences between our two militaries," Dong told Lloyd Austin, quoting AFP.
The two defence chiefs met at a luxury hotel here, which hosts the forum. The forum is attended by defence officials of many nations.
Following the meeting, Austin informed that telephone conversations between US and China's military commanders will restart in the months to come. China, meanwhile, praised the "stabilizing" security relations between the two powers.
The latest meeting between officials of China and the US happened a week after China-led military exercises around independent Taiwan. China had warned the island nation, backed by the US, after the inauguration of President Lai Ching-te. Beijing calls Ching te a "dangerous separatist".
On Sunday, Chinese defence minister Dong told the forum that the Chinese People's Liberation Army was always an indestructible force in defending the "unification of the motherland. It will act resolutely and forcefully to curb the independence of Taiwan and will ensure Taiwan succeeds in its attempts to become independent. Whoever attempts to split Taiwan from China will be "crushed to pieces" and will suffer their own destruction.