Attack on Taiwan an option to stop independence, top China general says

By Yew Lun Tian

 

Li Zhanshu (R), chairman of National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, Xu Qiliang (C), vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, and others attend an event marking the 15th anniversary of the implementation of the Anti-Secession Law at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 29, 2020. REUTERS/Yew Lun Tian

 

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will attack Taiwan if there is no other way of stopping it from becoming independent, one of the country’s most senior generals said on Friday, in a rhetorical escalation from China aimed at the democratic island Beijing claims as its own.

 

Speaking at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on the 15th anniversary of the Anti-Secession Law, Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department and member of the Central Military Commission, left the door open to using force.

 

The 2005 law gives the country the legal basis for military action against Taiwan if it secedes or seems about to, making the narrow Taiwan Strait a potential military flashpoint.

 

“If the possibility for peaceful reunification is lost, the people’s armed forces will, with the whole nation, including the people of Taiwan, take all necessary steps to resolutely smash any separatist plots or actions,” Li said.

 

“We do not promise to abandon the use of force, and reserve the option to take all necessary measures, to stabilise and control the situation in the Taiwan Strait,” he added.

 

Although China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, it is rare for a top, serving military officer to so explicitly make the threat in a public setting. The comments are especially striking amid international opprobrium over China passing new national security legislation for Chinese-run Hong Kong.

 

Taiwan’s government denounced the comments, saying that threats of war were a violation of international law and that Taiwan has never been a part of the People’s Republic of China.

 

“Taiwan’s people will never choose dictatorship nor bow to violence”, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said. “Force and unilateral decisions are not the way to resolve problems.”

 

Li is one of China’s few senior officers with combat experience, having taken part in China’s ill-fated invasion of Vietnam in 1979.

 

Taiwan is China’s most sensitive territorial issue. Beijing says it is a Chinese province, and has denounced the Trump administration’s support for the island.

 

Li Zhanshu, the third-most-senior leader of China’s ruling Communist Party and head of China’s parliament, told the same event that non-peaceful means were an option of last resort.

 

“As long as there is a slightest chance of a peaceful resolution, we will put in hundred times the effort,” Li said.

 

However, he added: “We warn Taiwan’s pro-independence and separatist forces sternly, the path of Taiwan independence leads to a dead end; any challenge to this law will be severely punished”.

 

Taiwan has shown no interest in being run by autocratic China. It has denounced China’s repeated military drills near the island and rejected China’s offer of a “one country, two systems” model of a high degree of autonomy.

 

Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party won presidential and parliamentary elections by a landslide in January, vowing to stand up to Beijing.

 

China is deeply suspicious of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, whom it accuses of being a separatist bent on declaring formal independence. Tsai says Taiwan is already an independent country called the Republic of China, its official name.

 

The mood in Taiwan toward China has further soured since China’s parliament passed new national security legislation for Chinese-ruled Hong Kong on Thursday.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-29

 

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Then be prepared for a conventional war with the USA or nuclear attack.

Good  for you Taiwan.........<deleted> em

Hong Kong, Taiwan, who is next?  Thailand?

Difficult times but the western countries need to have a plan quickly to stop these Communist takeovers. 

1 minute ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Then be prepared for a conventional war with the USA or nuclear attack.

I doubt the USA or any other country will stand against China for Taiwan. There is no oil there or other things the US can use. Also its not an easy victory for the US (they would probably give up after losing too many people). Nuclear attack.. highly doubt it again. In the end Taiwan will just be Chinese.

 

I wish it were different but dont think anyone will help or is able to help. The Chinese have all the advantages.

10 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Hong Kong, Taiwan, who is next?  Thailand?

Difficult times but the western countries need to have a plan quickly to stop these Communist takeovers. 

They already hold the reigns here and the key to the taps. 

 

It's pretty clear for all to see.

14 minutes ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Then be prepared for a conventional war with the USA or nuclear attack.

and it would be fully justified. 

10 minutes ago, robblok said:

I doubt the USA or any other country will stand against China for Taiwan. There is no oil there or other things the US can use. Also its not an easy victory for the US (they would probably give up after losing too many people). Nuclear attack.. highly doubt it again. In the end Taiwan will just be Chinese.

 

I wish it were different but dont think anyone will help or is able to help. The Chinese have all the advantages.

sometime, someday, at some location, there is going to have to be a line draw in the sand with China.  Taiwan would be as good a location and cause as any to confront the communist thugs in Beijing. 

1 minute ago, Pilotman said:

and it would be fully justified. 

I agree but I doubt trump will do anything in spite of all his bluster he’s really a weak person imo and China knows it plus the vast majority of Americans don’t want to follow this man into a war nor does the military imo

1 minute ago, Tug said:

I agree but I doubt trump will do anything in spite of all his bluster he’s really a weak person imo and China knows it plus the vast majority of Americans don’t want to follow this man into a war nor does the military imo

I hope that you are wrong, but maybe.  a good part of my pension income comes from Taiwan so i have a vested interest in that country.  

4 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

sometime, someday, at some location, there is going to have to be a line draw in the sand with China.  Taiwan would be as good a location and cause as any to confront the communist thugs in Beijing. 

Fully agree, doesn't the USA have a treaty with ROC Taiwan?

Just now, tribalfusion001 said:

Fully agree, doesn't the USA have a treaty with ROC Taiwan?

yes it does, but treaties don't seem to mean much to Trump. 

5 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

sometime, someday, at some location, there is going to have to be a line draw in the sand with China.  Taiwan would be as good a location and cause as any to confront the communist thugs in Beijing. 

Have you seen where Taiwan is located. It would be a logistical nightmare for the USA. Plus China is far more willing to have dead soldiers then the USA. The battle is already lost before it even begins.

Just now, robblok said:

Have you seen where Taiwan is located. It would be a logistical nightmare for the USA. Plus China is far more willing to have dead soldiers then the USA. The battle is already lost before it even begins.

I lived there for 10 years. We often flew over the 7th Fleet on manoeuvres just off the coast. 

3 minutes ago, robblok said:

Have you seen where Taiwan is located. It would be a logistical nightmare for the USA. 

Two US warships are already off the coast of Taiwan along with Australian ships have been for about a month and US is sending more as we speak. 

 

Looks like it could be about to kick off.

5 minutes ago, misterjames said:

Two US warships are already off the coast of Taiwan along with Australian ships have been for about a month and US is sending more as we speak. 

 

Looks like it could be about to kick off.

China is just a school bully, Taiwan ROC has never been part of the PRC. Even Hong Kong was not part the PRC it was leased from Qing Dynasty in 1898.

5 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

I lived there for 10 years. We often flew over the 7th Fleet on manoeuvres just off the coast. 

If you know so well don't you understand how hard it would be for the US to defend Taiwan ? Plus the US not that willing to have dead soldiers. This is not a fight against an enemy they can easily beat. This is a fight against an army that has far more people and also has the technology and its supply bases lie far closer then those of the US. 

 

No one in their right mind would start this fight and if its started the US populace will quickly demand a retreat when the death toll starts to mount. The US is good in fighting enemies that are weak not an against opponents that can actually put up a fight. 

1 minute ago, robblok said:

If you know so well don't you understand how hard it would be for the US to defend Taiwan ? Plus the US not that willing to have dead soldiers. This is not a fight against an enemy they can easily beat. This is a fight against an army that has far more people and also has the technology and its supply bases lie far closer then those of the US. 

 

No one in their right mind would start this fight and if its started the US populace will quickly demand a retreat when the death toll starts to mount. The US is good in fighting enemies that are weak not an against opponents that can actually put up a fight. 

you are entitled to your opinion. 

1 minute ago, robblok said:

If you know so well don't you understand how hard it would be for the US to defend Taiwan ? Plus the US not that willing to have dead soldiers. This is not a fight against an enemy they can easily beat. This is a fight against an army that has far more people and also has the technology and its supply bases lie far closer then those of the US. 

 

No one in their right mind would start this fight and if its started the US populace will quickly demand a retreat when the death toll starts to mount. The US is good in fighting enemies that are weak not an against opponents that can actually put up a fight. 

Sometimes a stand has to be made. No intervention and where will it lead. China won't stop in the South China Seas and it's meddles in other countries far too much spreading it's so called values.

It is not Taiwan, it's the Republic of China forced out of the mainland by the communist Peoples republic of China. It has been independant since 1949 after the communists annexed the mainland. The Island was never historically part of China except for a few years in the 19c and from 1945. The CCP have recently started to talk about forced integration where before it was peaceful, nobody wants to live under communism.

from Mark Knopfler 

 

We talk soft but carry a big stick
And pack the biggest gun
We don't like accidents
Major or minor
You don't want yourself an incident
Don't ever invade china here, son
I'm handing over to you
Don't crash the ambulance
Here, son
I'm handing over to you
Don't crash the ambulance
Whatever you do

11 minutes ago, misterjames said:

Two US warships are already off the coast of Taiwan along with Australian ships have been for about a month and US is sending more as we speak. 

 

Looks like it could be about to kick off.

 

Or perhaps that's the main reason it hasn't already kicked off.

 

13 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

you are entitled to your opinion. 

I sincerely hope I am wrong because i too feel they need to be stopped.

 

But anyone who uses it brain and not nationalistic pride would see that this would be a far to costly in terms of dead soldiers for the US. The enemy has its supply bases closer can bring more soldiers to the fight and has good technology (maybe a bit less then the US but certainly better then anything the US has fought against in recent history). 

3 minutes ago, robblok said:

I sincerely hope I am wrong because i too feel they need to be stopped.

 

But anyone who uses it brain and not nationalistic pride would see that this would be a far to costly in terms of dead soldiers for the US. The enemy has its supply bases closer can bring more soldiers to the fight and has good technology (maybe a bit less then the US but certainly better then anything the US has fought against in recent history). 

appeasement is a particularly distasteful and ineffective policy with regard  to China.  Bullies need to be challenged, however difficult that may appear to be, e.g, Hitler and his evil mob.  

2 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

appeasement is a particularly distasteful and ineffective policy with regard  to China.  Bullies need to be challenged, however difficult that may appear to be, e.g, Hitler and his evil mob.  

I agree with this it's a now or never situation if they are not put in it's place now it will be impossible in the near future.

6 minutes ago, misterjames said:

I agree with this it's a now or never situation if they are not put in it's place now it will be impossible in the near future.

Part of me agrees with you but and imo a big but with the present leadership (note this week the abject surrender on sticking up for Hong Kong)taking not of the division created by this administration at home it would be a losing proposition to get in a war with China espically over principle (democracy)with the present administration in charge China knows it and they are pushing 

You know they do have some claim to both HK & Taiwan---I am not saying they should take them, but the feed back on here is in line with ...these were always independent countries that China is talking about invading........they lost Hong Kong because they were not buying enough drugs from the British....they lost Taiwan, because when the people rose up against a despot of a leader where slavery was rife.  He fled to Taiwan (part of China) because they didn't have a navy to attack him.

 

Seems to be a bit of a double standard here..... I watch Britain tell the world that a Tiny island just off of Argentina belongs to London. & go to war over it.

Although I do not feel China should now have Taiwan--I think its claim has more merit than Britain's.

 

Go to google and look up a 1945 world map...... it was part of China.

 

 

.

 

 

A war is about to happen, it just needs a good excuse to kick it off. Taiwan is merely the excuse.

And you all thought the pandemic was BS, now look what happened OMG, we are doomed I say Doomed, then I woke up and realized someone will get the Pulitzer prize for averting war and solving the Pandemic crisis...glad I am squared away and not three sheets to the wind, or am I...well the world will never know.  Just like how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop.....

1 hour ago, robblok said:

The US is good in fighting enemies that are weak not an against opponents that can actually put up a fight. 

I would add that the US is good at fighting from the air enemies who don't have an air force.

 

The US won't be able to bomb weddings and school buses with drones manned by soldiers/cowards hiding thousands of kilometers away.