Chinese defence minister Dong Jun cautioned on Sunday that his military is prepared to "forcefully" halt Taiwan's independence, while also calling for increased dialogue with the United States. The comments were made during an annual security forum in Singapore, following the first substantial in-person discussions between the two countries' defence chiefs in 18 months.
Dong declared to the forum on Sunday, "The Chinese People's Liberation Army has always been an indestructible and powerful force in defence of the unification of the motherland, and it will act resolutely and forcefully at all times to curb the independence of Taiwan and to ensure that it never succeeds in its attempts." He added, "Whoever dares to split Taiwan from China will be crushed to pieces and suffer his own destruction."
