Ongoing Events in China

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China Tells U.S. 'Look in Mirror' After Officials Honor Tiananmen Victims

Blinken also noted that police in Hong Kong banned a Tiananmen Square vigil to honor the victims. Authorities in China said that the gathering was against COVID-19 mitigation restrictions.
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China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks during a press conference, where he also urged the U.S. to "face up to its own serious human rights problems," according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Wang continued, "Considering its irrefutable misdeeds on human rights, what qualifies the United States to lecture others?," according to AFP.

The remarks by Wang come in response to Blinken issuing a statement saying that the U.S. "will continue to stand with the people of China as they demand that their government respect universal human rights," and "honor the sacrifices of those killed 32 years ago, and the brave activists who carry on their efforts today in the face of ongoing government repression," on the 32nd anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

In April 1989, students in China began protesting in Tiananmen Square over numerous issues including corruption and calls for political change.

Protests continued over the next several months, and on June 4 of that year, the Chinese government declared martial law against the demonstrators. Soldiers marched on Tiananmen Square and opened fire on protesters.

Numerous protesters died, with some estimates nearing 1,000 fatalities, but China has continued to claim that no deaths occurred within the square and Beijing has never confirmed an exact death toll.
Public mention and remembrance of the event has continued to be prohibited in mainland China. The incident also led to heightened tensions between China and the U.S.

In his statement on Thursday, Blinken said, "Named after the nearby Gate of Heavenly Peace, the square is instead synonymous with the brutal actions by the government of the People's Republic of China in 1989 to silence tens of thousands of individuals advocating to have a say in their government and exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms."

Blinken also noted that police in Hong Kong banned a Tiananmen Square vigil to honor the victims. Authorities in China said that the gathering was against COVID-19 mitigation restrictions.

"The Tiananmen demonstrations are echoed in the struggle for democracy and freedom in Hong Kong, where a planned vigil to commemorate the massacre in Tiananmen Square was banned by local authorities," Blinken said.

A spokesperson for the State Department told Newsweek that the U.S. has continued to denounce efforts by China to prohibit residents from commemorating the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

While the Tiananmen Square vigil was banned by authorities, the U.S. Embassy in Beijing said on Friday it was planning to hold a "candlelight vigil at the U.S. embassy to remember the victims of the massacre in Tiananmen Square 32 years ago."

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People hold up their phones with the light on in the Causeway Bay district of Hong Kong on June 4 after police closed the venue where Hong Kong people traditionally gather annually to mourn the victims of China's Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989, which the authorities have banned, citing the coronavirus pandemic and vowed to stamp out any protests on the anniversary.ISAAC LAWRENCE/GETTY

"Those killed were only trying to find new ways to strengthen the country they loved. They were patriots whom we remember, and their courage continues to inspire us," the embassy said in a statement.

Newsweek reached out to China's Foreign Ministry for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.

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'Only faith will not abandon you.'

www.rt.com

Taiwanese leader has ‘faith’ US will defend them from China, says some American troops are on island

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said she had faith the Biden administration would ride to Taipei’s defense in case of an attack from the mainland, and even confirmed US troops had a presence on the island, albeit a small one.
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28 Oct, 2021
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:-)

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Biden Reportedly Tells Xi Jinping US Doesn't Support 'Taiwan's Independence'

On Monday, a virtual summit between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden took place, with the two leaders exchanging views on bilateral relations and issues of common interest. The online meeting was held amid rising...
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2 hours ago
 
'War drums: Australia is ready to arm Taiwan "to keep peace in the region".'

Australia doesn't rule out arming Taiwan against China​

6 Mar, 2022

Defense Minister Peter Dutton likened China’s situation with Taiwan to Russia’s conflict with Ukraine

Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton refused to rule out arming Taiwan against China in the same way that the West has armed Ukraine against Russia, claiming Australia would do whatever it can to “deter China from acts of aggression.”

In an interview with ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday, Dutton claimed China was “amassing nuclear weapons” and “militarizing” and likened the “threat” of China reclaiming Taiwan to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

After being asked whether Australia would arm Taiwan in the same way that the West has armed Ukraine if China tried to reclaim the island, Dutton said, “Well I think we do whatever we can to deter China from acts of aggression in our region.”

“The question is, as it is in the Ukraine at the moment, if it’s Taiwan does it just stop there?” the minister questioned, before citing former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. “Does it mean that China wants to have this tributary state model as Kissinger and others have spoken about over history in the Indo-Pacific? What does it mean for our trading relationships with Malaysia or with Vietnam or with Indonesia?”

https://twitter.com/x/status/1500237697591377921

Dutton argued that while there is always “a cost for action,” there is also a “cost of inaction,” and added, “So ours for now is a desire to see peace prevail and to deter any acts of aggression whether it’s from China or from Russia or anybody else.”

After interviewer David Speers asked Dutton to give a clear response as to whether Australia would arm Taiwan, Dutton refused to rule out anything, saying the country would “take interest in any of those conflicts or the threat of conflict that serve our national interest.”

The minister also said Australia’s arrangement to obtain nuclear-powered submarines in the near-future would send a “very strong deterrence message” in the Indo-Pacific and he warned that China was “amassing huge forces” in the region.

Asked if Australia would aid the US if it took action against China over Taiwan, Dutton said, “If it’s in our national interest to protect our homeland and our allies then we would take that decision at that time as to what was in our country’s best interest and there’s no sense pretending otherwise.”

“We live in a very uncertain time and not just the next few years but the next couple of decades. We want peace to prevail in our region but you don’t have that peace if you’re arguing from a position of weakness,” he concluded. “Australia needs to be in a strong position. We’re in the strongest possible position if we’re in the company of great allies like NATO partners.”

During the interview, Dutton also revealed that the Australian government would soon announce more about its nuclear submarine agreement with the US and UK, and that it was going to “acquire the capability much sooner than” 2040 – the date originally expected.

In November, Dutton said it would be “inconceivable” for Australia not to join the US in taking action against China if Beijing tried to reclaim Taiwan by force. The comments sparked outrage in Beijing and Global Times editor Hu Xijin warned Dutton that Australia “better be prepared to sacrifice for Taiwan island and the US” if it ever makes such a move.
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Blinken goes 51/50 with more threats against China.

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Chinese ambassador on Russia-Ukraine conflict: China is part of the solution, not part of the problem

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang elaborated on China's position on Russia-Ukraine conflict in an interview with CBS news program "Face the Nation" on Sunday.
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Updated 11:15, 21-Mar-2022
 
'China will cause great damage to US.'

China slams US and UK over Taiwan​

28 Apr, 2022
[...]
“We have this stern warning for the US side: The historical trend of China’s reunification cannot be held back, and the one-China principle is what underpins peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” Wang added, warning Washington to “not underestimate the strong resolve, determination and capability of the 1.4 billion Chinese people in defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity” or risk bringing “unbearable cost to the US itself.”
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Article in full:

China slams US and UK over Taiwan​

The foreign ministry in Beijing 'deplores' a US top diplomat’s comments on Taiwan and UK's calls for “global NATO”

Beijing has condemned statements from London and Washington about arming Taiwan, pointing out that such talk fuels separatism on the disputed island and goes contrary to their recognition of China. UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken have both come out in support of sending weapons to Taiwan this week.

“We deplore and reject Secretary Blinken’s statement at a congressional hearing on April 26 that the administration is determined to make sure that Taiwan has all necessary means to defend itself against any potential aggression,” Xie Yongjun, head of the information department at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tweeted on Thursday in reference to multiple outlets having noticed Blinken’s statement.

Xie was echoing the words of MFA spokesman Wang Wenbin from the news briefing on Wednesday. Wang told reporters that US statements clash with their recognition of Beijing and the One China policy, and encourage Taiwanese separatists by selling weapons to the island.

“The US admits that Taiwan is part of China, but keeps talking about the mainland’s potential ‘aggression’ of Taiwan. Isn’t this self-contradictory since a country can not ‘invade’ part of its own territory?” said Wang.

“We have this stern warning for the US side: The historical trend of China’s reunification cannot be held back, and the one-China principle is what underpins peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” Wang added, warning Washington to “not underestimate the strong resolve, determination and capability of the 1.4 billion Chinese people in defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity” or risk bringing “unbearable cost to the US itself.”

During Thursday’s briefing, Wang also addressed the speech by the British foreign secretary, in which Truss argued for “a global NATO” to engage in the “Indo-Pacific” and arm Taiwan the way the UK and its allies are now arming Ukraine.

“NATO claims to be a defensive organization, but in fact it is constantly creating confrontation and disturbances,” Wang told reporters. “NATO demands that other countries abide by the basic norms of international relations, yet has wantonly waged wars and dropped bombs in sovereign states, killing and displacing innocent civilians.”

“The impact of NATO’s eastward expansion on the long-term peace and stability of Europe is worth reflecting upon. NATO has messed up Europe. Is it now trying to mess up the Asia-Pacific and even the world?” Wang added.

Truss’s fiery speech also drew the attention of Global Times, China's English-language state daily, which on Thursday featured an editorial describing London as increasingly willing to serve as a “pebble” in Washington’s global hegemony.

Having left the EU and enjoying a special relationship with the US, the UK often says and does things “that are inconvenient for Washington and at times being even more aggressive,” the outlet noted. “Some politicians in London now increasingly see this as a source of uniqueness and superiority. The more they do this, the more they seem to feel the lingering warmth of the UK’s prior status as ‘The Empire on which the sun never set’.”

The US and UK actions amount to “a series of small-circle activities … in the name of the so-called common values and the culture that prioritizes Anglo Saxons,” said the editorial, adding that the world is increasingly recognizing this. “Truss and her ilk attempt to bring NATO to Asia and try to destabilize the Pacific, but they are doomed to fail. Treating China as a ‘systemic competitor’ is also definitely a big misjudgment in the ‘Global Britain’ strategy.”
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'Shangri-La Dialogue: The reunification is coming and it won't be peaceful.'

US, China Reportedly Eyeing Face-to-Face Meeting Between Top Defense Officials Amid Taiwan Row​

5 hours ago​

Tensions between China and the United States have only been growing in recent months with the implementation of the Biden administration's plan to reformat foreign policy to curb the growth of China's influence in its native region. Recently, Beijing reacted angrily after Biden suggested the US would intervene militarily if China invaded Taiwan.

China and the US are attempting to arrange what would be the first face-to-face meeting between their senior defense officials on the sidelines of a conference in Singapore in June amid escalating tensions over Taiwan, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has already announced that he will attend the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual defense conference that will take place this year from June 10 to 12, but the presence of Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe has not been announced as of yet, although those familiar with the matter reportedly said the minister is expected to attend in person.

The Journal notes that primarily because of growing tensions between the US and China over Taiwan, a self-governing island that Beijing considers an integral part of China, a meeting between Austin and Wei would be seen as significant.

However, WSJ sources reportedly warned that a meeting between Wei and Austin had not yet been agreed upon and that arrangements could change at any time.

Earlier this month, Austin told the Senate Appropriations Committee that he expects to meet with Wei in Singapore and that such a meeting would "promote security and stability in the region."

"We both recognize the importance of a dialogue and maintaining open channels," Austin said. "I look forward to again engaging him in the future—in the not-too-distant future."

In late April, Austin and Wei spoke on the phone for the first time. According to the Pentagon's account of the call, the two discussed defense relations, regional security issues, and Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.

Wei had warned that if the Taiwan issue is not handled efficiently, it will have a "disruptive impact" on US-China relations, adding that Beijing's military will safeguard national sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, according to the China Defense Ministry's summary of the conversation.

There are no indications that China intends to take Taiwan under its authority by force, but Beijing has not ruled out the possibility of using its military to take over the island. Meanwhile, administrations in Washington, DC, have long refused to say whether the US military would intervene if China attacked Taiwan, ostensibly to avoid a conflict.

Following his remarks in Tokyo, US President Joe Biden stated that Washington's position toward Taiwan has not changed, although he claimed the US was ready to intervene "militarily" if a crisis broke out around the island.

During the Shangri-La Dialogue in 2019, Wei, who was the commander of China's strategic missile force before being appointed defense minister in 2018, spoke with then-acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan. Because of COVID-19, the event, organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank, was canceled in 2020 and 2021.
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Taiwan claims major Chinese war plane incursion​

30 May, 2022
The island republic, which China considers part of its territory, has said it was the largest such movement since January

Taiwanese Air Force jets scrambled to intercept some 30 Chinese military aircraft as they entered the island’s air defense zone, the authorities in Taipei reported on Monday.

According to Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, 22 of those planes were fighter jets, with the rest made up of electronic warfare, early warning, and anti-submarine aircraft.

The Chinese Air Force squadron approached Taiwanese-controlled Pratas Island in the northern part of the South China Sea. Though situated around 450km (280 miles) away from Taiwan proper, the island and the waters surrounding it are part of the republic’s so-called Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), not to be confused with the republic’s narrower airspace.

As well as sending its combat jets to the area, Taipei said it had also activated its missile defenses, which monitored the incoming aircraft.

Taiwan’s military officials described the incursion as the largest of its kind since January 23, when 39 Chinese aircraft crossed into the ADIZ.

Beijing has yet to comment on the latest incident. Previously, the Chinese government has described similar episodes as drills aimed at protecting the country’s sovereignty.

aiwan, which China considers to be part of its territory, has registered an uptick in the number of incursions conducted by Beijing’s air force and navy over the past two years. Taipei describes such actions as nothing short of “gray zone” warfare, apparently aimed to both wear out the island’s military as well as test its defenses.

Just last week, China announced that its military had carried out drills in the vicinity of Taiwan, describing them as a “solemn warning” to Taipei against its “collusion” with the US.

The statement came shortly after US President Joe Biden apparently suggested in Tokyo last week that Washington would send its military to defend the self-governed island should China attack it, in what would have been a major break from America’s long-standing policy of “strategic ambiguity.” However, top US officials, including Biden himself and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, later qualified the controversial remark, insisting that Washington had not departed from its previous position, which, among other things, includes respecting the so-called One-China principle.

Taiwan is a self-governing territory, which has been de facto ruled by its own government since 1949, when the losing side in the Chinese civil war fled to the island and set up its own administration there. Beijing considers the Taiwanese authorities to be separatists, insisting that the island is an inalienable part of China.

In recent years, top Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping, have openly said that Beijing would not rule out the use of force to ensure the ‘reunification’ of Taiwan with the mainland.

The authorities in Taipei have similarly warned that they would defend the island tooth and nail in the event of a Chinese invasion.

Under the One-China principle, the vast majority of countries refrain from officially recognizing Taiwan’s independence.

Taiwan has, nevertheless, for years enjoyed extensive diplomatic and military support from the US, which maintains unofficial relations with the island. Recently, senior figures in Washington and Taipei have made several statements, indicating that the two countries have plans to deepen their ties.
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'China will end US if it tries to separate Taiwan.'

China to ‘fight till the end’ if anyone tries to separate Taiwan - minister​

12 JUN, 2022
We will make our point by all means and fight till the end, Wei Fenghe said

BEIJING, June 12. /TASS/. China will ‘fight till the end’ if anyone tries to separate Taiwan from the rest of the country, Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe told the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore on Sunday.

"If anyone tries to separate Taiwan from China, we will fight till the end. We will make our point by all means and fight till the end. This is the only option for China," he said.
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'The US is using Taiwan as "proxy ground" for a war against China.'

Chinese military issues warning to US​

19 Jul, 2022
Beijing vows to defend its ‘territorial integrity’ after Washington approved a major arms deal with Taiwan

The foreign and defense ministries in Beijing issued harsh statements on Monday condemning the Biden administration’s approval of a new US arms sale to Taiwan. The deal is worth an estimated $108 million and includes armored vehicle parts and technical assistance.

Beijing “demands” that the United States “immediately withdraw the above-mentioned arms sales plan to Taiwan,” halt all other such arms deals, and cut military ties with the island, said Defense Ministry spokesman Colonel Tan Kefei. “Otherwise, the US side will be solely responsible for undermining the relationship between China and the US and the two militaries and the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait.”

“The Chinese People's Liberation Army will take all necessary measures to firmly defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and resolutely thwart any form of external interference and separatist attempts for ‘Taiwan independence’,” the colonel added.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin echoed the sentiment, saying Washington’s arms supplies “gravely undermine China’s sovereignty and security interests, and severely harm China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

“China will continue to take resolute and strong measures to firmly defend its sovereignty and security interests,” Wang added.

The Pentagon revealed on Friday that the US State Department had greenlit the transaction, which is valued at up to $108 million. It has yet to receive congressional approval, however. The deliveries will include parts for tanks and other combat vehicles, as well as technical and logistical support services provided by the US government and its contractors, in order to enhance the Taiwanese military’s interoperability with American forces and other allies, according to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

State Department spokesman Ned Price dismissed China’s concerns, claiming later on Monday that the US has certain obligations to supply Taiwan with the necessary means to “defend itself.”

“Under the Taiwan Relations Act, we make available to Taiwan defense articles and services necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability. This is something that successive administrations have done. It is entirely consistent with our One China policy,” said Price.

Taiwan has been self-governed since a civil war ended in 1949, which forced the defeated nationalists to flee to the island. Beijing considers the province, home to 23.5 million people, to be part of its own territory under the One China policy.

China has recently increased its maritime and aerial military activity around the island, saying this was needed to deter “collusion activities” between “Taiwan independence forces” and the US government.

While agreeing with the One China policy on paper, Washington maintains strong unofficial ties with Taipei, selling weapons to the island and tacitly encouraging its push for sovereignty. Beijing has repeatedly decried such contacts as provocations and as meddling in China’s internal affairs.
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European Parliament Vice-President Nicola Beer arrives in Taiwan on visit — report​

19 JUL, 2022
Beer said on arrival that Europe "won't have a blind eye on China's threats to Taiwan"

HONG KONG/XIANGGANG, July 19. /TASS/. Vice-President of the European Parliament Nicola Beer arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday on a three-day visit, the Central News Agency reported.

She is scheduled to meet with the head of the Taiwanese administration, Tsai Ing-wen, and other officials. The sides will discuss issues ranging from security to democracy to human rights.

Beer said on arrival that Europe "won't have a blind eye on China's threats to Taiwan." She said "now is the moment to stand firm on the side of Taiwan" and that Taiwan shouldn’t become the next Hong Kong.

It’s the first visit to Taiwan by an EP delegation. Beijing, which regards Taiwan as part of China and urges other countries to follow a one-China policy, is expected to be irritated by the visit.

Western countries in recent months have stepped up their contacts with Taiwan. In another recent example of the closer ties, a US nongovernmental delegation to Taiwan sent by the Atlantic Council and led by former US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Monday discussed sales of weapons to the island.
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Rattle rattle rattle...

"Fox News reports that the drills took place across the island, with both a military and civilian response component. "Sirens could be heard blaring in Taipei, the nation's capital city, signaling residents to evacuate the streets for 30 minutes," the report details. "The country also tested its missile warning system, which sends mass text messages to residents in the event of incoming attacks." The emergency preparedness drills will last five days, and simulate a Chinese PLA military invasion."

  • Dozens of fighter jets head to airbases in the east at start of annual exercise, while public response also put to the test with air raid sirens
  • President Tsai Ing-wen is expected to observe a maritime drill involving more than 20 warships from aboard a destroyer on Tuesday
"On Monday, China's Foreign Ministry repeated in a public warning: "The Chinese side has made it clear to the U.S. on many occasions that it is firmly opposed to Speaker Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. We are fully prepared," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian stated."

Article below:

Taiwan Kicks Off 5-Day Exercise Simulating PLA Attack As White House Warns Pelosi Visit Could Spark "Crisis" | ZeroHedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero
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