China’s defence ministry on Friday broke its silence about days of military activities around Taiwan, saying it was up to China to decide whether or not to hold drills and the military would “not be absent” in fighting against separatist forces.
In a statement responding to a question on Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s recent visits to Hawaii and the US territory of Guam and whether or not China has held drills, China’s defence ministry offered neither confirmation nor denial, though quoted from ancient Chinese military tactician Sun Tzu.
“Just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions,” the ministry said, an expression of Sun’s that means war conditions are unpredictable and constantly in flux.
“Whether or not to hold exercises and when to hold them is a matter for us to decide on our own according to our own needs and the situation of the struggle,” it added.
“Regardless of whether or not exercises are held, the People’s Liberation Army will not be absent and will not be soft in its fight against independence and for reunification.”
Any reliance on “foreign forces to seek independence” – the usual wording China uses to warn the United States of supporting Taiwan – will be severely punished and is “doomed to failure”, the ministry added.
China has staged two rounds of war games around Taiwan so far this year, most recently in October responding to Lai’s national day, saying they were a warning to “separatist acts” and vowing to take further action if needed.
On Friday, Taiwan’s defence ministry said that China’s threat towards the island had been evolving since 2022, when it began staging the current round of war games, from “deterring Taiwan” to “impacting the First Island Chain”, an area that stretches from Japan through to Taiwan, along the Chinese coast and into the South China Sea.
“China’s long-term goal of deterring regional parties and disrupting the rule-based international order will not be endorsed by the international community,” it said in a statement.
