Beijing (Parliament Politics Magazine) – China vows to defend Taiwan’s sovereignty and warns against external interference as US President Donald Trump unveils a new security strategy.
As reported by Reuters, Beijing vowed Monday to protect its sovereignty and warned against foreign interference following the US announcement of a security plan to deter conflict over Taiwan.
The White House released its National Security Strategy last week, outlining its approach to a highly sensitive global diplomatic matter. This comes after Beijing deployed several naval and coast guard vessels across East Asian waters, marking its largest maritime display to date.
What did China say about Taiwan?
China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, told reporters that Taiwan remains a red line in China-US relations, with a warning against external interference.
He said,
“The U.S. side should … handle the Taiwan question with the utmost prudence, and stop indulging and supporting ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces in seeking independence by force or resisting reunification by force.”
Mr Jiakun added that China is open to working with Washington to maintain stable relations while safeguarding its sovereignty, security, and development interests.
China considers Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out using force, while Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.
Taiwan praised the new US National Security Strategy, with President Lai Ching-te saying,
“Greatly appreciate that the U.S. National Security Strategy prioritizes deterring a conflict over Taiwan.”
Wellington Koo, Taiwan’s Defence Minister, said the US continues to view regional peace and stability as its highest strategic priority.
He added,
“The United States is vigorously promoting that the countries in the Indo-Pacific region work together to establish an effective form of collective deterrence. We in Taiwan must also strengthen our self-defence capabilities.”
How did China plan its naval response amid Taiwan and Japan tensions?
Since mid-November, China has deployed over 100 naval and coast guard vessels to East Asian waters following a diplomatic dispute with Japan over Taiwan.
According to reports, Chinese naval and coast guard vessels have gathered from the southern Yellow Sea through the East and South China Seas into the Pacific.
Reuters reported that more than 90 Chinese vessels were in the region, down from over 100 earlier this week. Beijing began the increase after November 14, when it summoned Japan’s ambassador to protest Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan.
An official familiar with the matter said China’s naval deployment exceeds national defense needs and creates regional risks, with Beijing testing responses through its “unprecedented” show of force.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian declined to confirm the vessel deployment, saying that China’s policy remains “defense-oriented.”
According to Lin, Chinese naval activities are “strictly in accordance with China’s domestic and international law,” and there is “no need for anyone to overreact or overinterpret the situation—let alone hype it up without cause.”
What did the US National Security Strategy say about China and South America?
The Trump administration’s new security strategy prioritizes a greater focus on the Western Hemisphere, emphasizing an “America First” approach and shifting attention away from confronting China.
The strategy mentions China, but Europe and South America receive greater emphasis.
According to the document, Washington seeks a hemisphere free from hostile foreign control of key assets, recalling past efforts to challenge China’s hold on Panama Canal ports.
The new US security plan said Europe’s migration policies are causing strife, restricting free speech, and suppressing political opposition.
Referring to the Ukraine peace process, the White House document appears to accuse European countries of hindering progress toward peace.
It says,
“The Trump administration finds itself at odds with European officials who hold unrealistic expectations for the war perched in unstable minority governments, many of which trample on basic principles of democracy to suppress opposition.”
The White House document adds that
“a large European majority wants peace, yet that desire is not translated into policy, in large measure because of those governments’ subversion of democratic processes.”
The strategy indicates that the US expects Europe to handle the majority of NATO defense responsibilities by 2027.