Force against Taiwan still on cards, says China

China’s Defence Minister has ­declared the People’s Liberation Army will ‘absolutely not’ ­renounce the use of force on ­Taiwan.

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said the aggressive behaviour of the People’s Liberation Army was creating a dangerous environment. Picture: AFP

China’s Defence Minister has ­declared the People’s Liberation Army will “absolutely not” ­renounce the use of force on ­Taiwan, as his American counterpart warned a military accident ­between the two superpowers could “very quickly spiral out of control” because of Beijing’s ­refusal to engage in talks.

The scene setting comments by Minister Li Shangfu and Secretary Lloyd Austin were made on the eve of the Shangri-La Dialogue, the region’s most important security forum. The American and ­Chinese defence chiefs are both in Singapore for the three-day summit, which began late on Friday.

Mr Li made the Taiwan comments in a meeting on Thursday with Singaporean defence chief Ng Eng Hen after the two agreed to create a new military hotline in an effort to cast China as a responsible actor, although no timeline was given for when it would be ­created.

“Such high-level open lines of communications are important for strengthening mutual understanding and trust,” their joint statement said.

At the same meeting, Mr Li said Beijing would not tolerate Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party seeking support from other countries for Taiwanese independence, according to Chinese defence ministry spokesman senior colonel Tan Kefei.

That warning was issued days after Taiwanese Vice-President Lai Ching-te – the Democratic Progressive Party’s candidate in next year’s presidential election – said he wanted to personally tell Chinese President Xi Jinping to “chill out a little” and remember “peace benefits everyone”.

Singaporean Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, right, welcomes his Chinese counterpart, Li Shangfu, to the Shangri-La Dialogue. Picture: AFP

Beijing has refused attempts by Washington to create a functioning defence hotline. Last year, China closed the already spotty communications channels it had with the US military, as part of its response to a visit by then US house Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.

The Pentagon this week ­accused a Chinese fighter jet of making an “unnecessarily ­aggressive manoeuvre” in recent days near a US military aircraft flying over the South China Sea.

Beijing has said America is to blame for the rising tension.

Communist Party mouthpiece The Global Times said the American military was “like a peeping Tom” and defended the behaviour of China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

“To deal with the peeping Tom who crosses the line, we must pick up a stick and drive him away. In short, it is necessary to make him feel insecure and scared,” the party state masthead said. Fellow party state news outlet the China Daily said the Pentagon’s claims were “probably intended to provide ammunition” for Mr Austin, who will give a keynote speech at the Singapore dialogue on Saturday.

In an editorial on Friday, the masthead said the episode justified Beijing’s approach to refuse to talk with Washington. China has rejected US efforts to organise a meeting in Singapore between the two countries’ ­defence chiefs. “Beijing sees no point in doing so as the Joe Biden administration constantly belies its friendly words with its deeds,” the China Daily said.

Australian Prime Minister ­Anthony Albanese was to give a keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Friday night, and ­Defence Minister Richard Marles is also attending the event, which is swarming with senior defence and security officials.

In the days leading up to last year’s Shangri-La Dialogue, a PLA fighter jet released metal chaff into the engine of an Australian surveillance plane, which was flying in international airspace over the South China Sea.

Mr Austin said on Thursday that the PLA’s aggressive behaviour and refusal to talk with American military officials was creating a dangerous environment.

“I’m concerned about … having an incident that could very, very quickly spiral out of control,” Mr Austin said after a meeting with his Japanese counterpart.

“I think defence departments should be talking to each other on a routine basis.”

The Biden administration is continuing to co-ordinate with its Indo-Pacific allies in an effort to deter Chinese military aggression.

Mr Austin will reportedly pursue further trilateral defence co-operation between the US, Japan and South Korea this weekend.