China will continue to strive for peaceful unification with Taiwan, with the “greatest sincerity and utmost efforts,” but will never renounce the use of force, State Councilor and Minister of National Defense General Li Shangfu said on May 31, according to China Daily. Li’s remarks were made on the eve of the 2023 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, which began today.
Li reiterated China’s positions on the Taiwan question when holding talks with Singaporean Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen, stressing that Taiwan is part of China and the Taiwan question is one of the nation’s core interests, according to Defense Ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Tan Kefei.
China will never tolerate any attempt by the island’s ruling separatist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities to “solicit foreign support” while seeking “Taiwan independence,” nor will it accept any efforts by external forces to “utilize Taiwan to contain China,” Li said, stating that the Chinese side will resolutely safeguard China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, reported China Daily.
