China, ‘ready to counteract any provocation’ in Taiwan Strait

Beijing, China, Mar 25 (EFE).- The People’s Liberation Army is “ready to counteract any provocation that destabilizes the Taiwan Strait and undermines Chinese interests,” Chinese Defense Spokesman Wu Qian told state agency Xinhua on Friday.

The spokesman said this in response to “attempts by the Democratic Progressive Party” (which rules Taiwan) to draw parallels “between the Ukraine issue and the Taiwan issue,” in reference to Russia’s invasion of the country.

Wu’s statements are also a “response” to “speculation” by “some United States politicians” about the “military threat” posed by China, the agency said.

Wu said China rejected any comparison between Ukraine and Taiwan:

“Taiwan is not Ukraine. The Taiwan issue is China’s internal affairs that does not tolerate any foreign interference,” he said.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry confirmed the passage last week of a Chinese military aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait hours before a video call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden.

The Chinese military on Thursday called the Feb. 27 passage of US destroyer USS Ralph Johnson through the Taiwan Strait a “provocation.”

China claims Taiwan’s sovereignty and considers the island a rebellious province for whose reunification it has not ruled out the use of force.

The island is one of the main sources of conflict between China and the United States, mainly because Washington is Taiwan’s main arms supplier and its main ally in the event of a war with Beijing. EFE

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