A day after asking Washington to postpone an upcoming arms sale to Taipei, China has now sent a fresh warning to the United States that it will not hesitate to start a 'war' if Taiwan declares independence. On June 8, the United States announced a $120 million sale of ship parts, ship system parts, and related equipment to Taiwan, the fourth arms deal signed by US President Joe Biden.

"If anyone dares to split Taiwan from China, the Chinese army will definitely not hesitate to start a war no matter the cost," Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe was quoted saying during a meeting with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin. Fenghe added, "Taiwan is China's Taiwan... Using Taiwan to contain China will never prevail." Austin, however, asked his Chinese counterpart to refrain from their action towards Taiwan. 

Earlier, a Chinese mainland spokesperson asked Washington to postpone an upcoming arms sale to Taipei, adding that "it will only further damage the interests of Taiwan compatriots and push them into the fire." "We firmly oppose US arms sales to China's Taiwan region," Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, said in a statement on June 9. The decision, he added, was a significant violation of the one-China principle and the three joint statements between China and the United States, particularly the August 17 communique. It's a display of support for 'Taiwan independence' forces, and it's a "severe breach of the US' vow not to assist Taiwan independence," he further said. 

On June 9, Taiwan's defence ministry announced a $120 million arms sale for "naval ship spare parts and related technical assistance." The sale, according to the government, is intended to help Taiwan keep its navy vessels adequately equipped and restocked, and it is set to go into force next month.

Biden warns of military intervention if China invades Taiwan

On May 23, US President Joe Biden proclaimed that Washington will “intervene militarily” if China invaded Taiwan, adding that the need to protect the self-ruled island is even stronger after Russia invaded Ukraine. When a reporter in Tokyo asked Biden, "Very quickly, you didn't want to get involved in the Ukraine conflict militarily for obvious reasons. Are you willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that?" To this, the United States President replied, "Yes." “We agreed with the One China policy, we signed on to it, but the idea that it can be taken by force is just not appropriate,” US President Biden asserted. The US is bound to intervene on China's action on Taiwan as per a long-standing treaty, though the same treaty is also void if Taiwan asserts its independence or there are any violations of the status-quo, i.e. the 'One China policy'.

Taiwan-China tensions 

It is important to note that Taiwan, officially the Republic of China, is a country in East Asia that shares maritime boundaries with China. Earlier, it was a part of China, but during a civil war, it was divided and formed two self-governing entities-- the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC). Despite the split, China constitutionally considers Taiwan as its integral part under its "One China Policy". According to a US report, it claimed that Beijing would force the democratic Island to negotiate on its terms by 2027. The US Department of Defence released a report in the first week of November titled "Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China" and has warned the Taiwanese government to take "extra care" of its territories.

China's ruling Communist Party has threatened to use force if Taiwan, which recognises itself as a sovereign, independent nation, declared independence. As Russia launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine, China’s foreign ministry had assumed a hardened tone against the West, reiterating that Taiwan "is not Ukraine." 

(With Agency Inputs)

Image: AP