Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian. Figure: Photo taken by the Ministry of National Defense of China (file photo)
Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has aroused criticism from the international community. All parties are concerned about whether China, which has promised to have an “unrestricted partnership” with Russia, will use force to invade Taiwan. The United States has even warned that “Russia today will be China tomorrow.” Wu Qian, the information director and spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, stressed at a regular press conference on March 31 that empty promises from external forces are ultimately unreliable. Be willing to be a chess piece for others, and ultimately cannot escape the fate of abandoning the piece. From Kabul to Ukraine, what others cannot get from foreign countries, how can Taiwan get it? “You can always trust the People’s Liberation Army” in defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Regarding the recent statement by the commander of the US Pacific Air Forces that the US F-35 fighter jet had recently encountered a Chinese J-20 fighter jet at close range over the East China Sea, Wu Qian said. The Chinese military has made great progress in the construction of weapons and equipment, but there is still a lot of room for development. The Chinese side has a clear understanding of this. For a long time, U.S. warships and aircraft have approached China in a large-scale and high-frequency manner for reconnaissance, provocation, and deterrence, which has seriously damaged the mutual trust between the Chinese and American militaries, and seriously endangered the safety of warships, aircraft and personnel of both sides. China firmly opposes this. On the issue of safeguarding national sovereignty and security, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army has always been brave and good at wielding its sword.
In addition, Wu Qian responded to Japan’s consideration of revising the “National Security Strategy” in view of the situation in Ukraine. Taiwan is China’s business, not Japan’s business. Japan should not stretch its hand too far. The Taiwan issue is purely China’s internal affairs and is fundamentally different from the Ukraine issue. Japan recently made a dangerous sound that violated its “three non-nuclear principles”, and its Asian neighbors and the international community are highly vigilant. As a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Japan should earnestly fulfill its nuclear non-proliferation obligations. China has always opposed the deployment of nuclear weapons by nuclear-weapon states on the territory of other countries.
As for Australia’s announcement that it will spend A$38 billion to expand its military and must prepare for “potential operations in Taiwan and elsewhere” by the PLA. Wu Qian claimed that Australia’s erroneous remarks on the Taiwan issue are very dangerous. We warn the Australian side that if it insists on going its own way, it must be prepared to pay a heavy price for interfering in China’s internal affairs. Regarding the U.S. claim that China has increased military construction in the South China Sea, Wu Qian pointed out that China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and their adjacent waters. China’s deployment of necessary homeland defense facilities is not only a legitimate right of a sovereign country, but also a necessary measure to respond to US provocations.