US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin stressed American support for Taiwan on Saturday, suggesting at Asia's premier defence forum that recent Chinese military activity around the self-governing island threatens to change the status quo.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Austin noted a 바카라steady increase in provocative and destabilising military activity near Taiwan,바카라 including almost daily military flights near the island by the People's Republic of China.
바카라Our policy hasn't changed, but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be true for the PRC,바카라 he said.
Austin said Washington remains committed to the 바카라one-China policy,바카라 which recognises Beijing but allows informal relations and defence ties with Taipei.
Taiwan and China split during a civil war in 1949, but China claims the island as its own territory and has not ruled out using military force to take it.
China has stepped up its military provocations against democratic Taiwan in recent years, aimed at intimidating it into accepting Beijing's demands to unify with the communist mainland.
바카라We remain focused on maintaining peace, stability and the status quo across the Taiwan Strait,바카라 Austin said in his address. 바카라But the PRC's moves threaten to undermine security, and stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.바카라
He drew a parallel with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying that the 바카라indefensible assault on a peaceful neighbour has galvanised the world and ... has reminded us all of the dangers of undercutting an international order rooted in rules and respect.바카라
Austin said that the 바카라rules-based international order matters just as much in the Indo-Pacific as it does in Europe.바카라
바카라Russia's invasion of Ukraine is what happens when oppressors trample the rules that protect us all,바카라 he said. 바카라It's what happens when big powers decide that their imperial appetites matter more than the rights of their peaceful neighbours. And it's a preview of a possible world of chaos and turmoil that none of us would want to live in.바카라
Austin met Friday with Chinese Defence Minister Gen Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of the conference for discussions where Taiwan featured prominently, according to a senior American defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to provide details of the private meeting.
Austin made clear at the meeting that while the U.S. does not support Taiwanese independence, it also has major concerns about China's recent behaviour and suggested that Beijing might be attempting to change the status quo.
Wei, meanwhile, complained to Austin about new American arms sales to Taiwan announced this week, saying it 바카라seriously undermined China's sovereignty and security interests,바카라 according to a Chinese state-run CCTV report after the meeting.
China 바카라firmly opposes and strongly condemns it,바카라 and the Chinese government and military will 바카라resolutely smash any Taiwan independence plot and resolutely safeguard the reunification of the motherland,바카라 Wei reportedly told Austin.
Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Col. Wu Qian quoted Wei as saying China would respond to any move toward formal Taiwan independence by 바카라smashing it even at any price, including war.바카라
In his speech, Austin said the US stands 바카라firmly behind the principle that cross-strait differences must be resolved by peaceful means,바카라 but also would continue to fulfill its commitments to Taiwan.
바카라That includes assisting Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defence capability,바카라 he said.
바카라And it means maintaining our own capacity to resist any use of force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardise the security or the social or economic system of the people of Taiwan.바카라
The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which has governed US relations with the island, does not require the US to step in militarily if China invades, but makes it American policy to ensure Taiwan has the resources to defend itself and to prevent any unilateral change of status by Beijing.
Austin stressed the 바카라power of partnerships바카라 and said the US's 바카라unparalleled network of alliances바카라 in the region has only deepened, noting recent efforts undertaken with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN; the growing importance of the 바카라Quad바카라 group of the US, India, Japan and Australia; and the trilateral security partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom, known as AUKUS.
He dismissed Chinese allegations that the US intends to start an 바카라Asian NATO바카라 with its Indo-Pacific outreach.
바카라Let me be clear, we do not seek confrontation or conflict and we do not seek a new Cold War, an Asian NATO, or a region split into hostile blocs,바카라 he said.
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles told the forum that AUKUS, under which Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines from the US with the help of Britain, was a technology-sharing relationship, and 바카라not in the set of arrangements as you would describe NATO.바카라
Australian abruptly pulled out of a deal with France for submarines to sign on to the AUKUS deal, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Saturday that he had agreed to pay Paris 555 million euros (USD 584 million) in compensation.
France's new defence minister, Sebastien Lecornu, suggested his country was willing to put the matter behind it, saying the alliance with Australia was a long one, recalling the sacrifice of the 바카라young Australians who came to die on French soil during World War I.바카라
바카라There are ups and downs in all relations between countries, but when there were real dramas, Australia was there,바카라 he said.
