China says it will not renounce use of force over Taiwan

China has over the past five years sent warships and warplanes in the waters and skies around Taiwan on an almost daily basis. (AFP)
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  • China staged a day of large-scale drills around the island on Monday as a warning to 鈥榮eparatist acts鈥�
  • Taiwan鈥檚 government rejects Beijing鈥檚 sovereignty claims, saying only the island鈥檚 people can decide their future

BEIJING/TAIPEI: China will not promise to renounce the use of force over Taiwan but this is aimed at external interference and a small minority of separatists, China鈥檚 Taiwan Affairs Office said on Wednesday following the country鈥檚 latest war games around the island.
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, staged a day of large-scale drills around the island on Monday it said were a warning to 鈥渟eparatist acts鈥� following last week鈥檚 national day speech by Taiwan President Lai Ching-te.
鈥淲e are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity and endeavor,鈥� Chen Binhua, spokesperson for China鈥檚 Taiwan Affairs Office, told a regular press briefing in Beijing.
鈥淏ut we will never commit ourselves to renouncing the use of force,鈥� he said.
That is, however, aimed at the interference of 鈥渆xternal forces鈥� 鈥� a reference to the United States and its allies 鈥� and the very small number of Taiwan separatists, not the vast majority of Taiwan鈥檚 people, Chen said.
鈥淣o matter how many troops Taiwan has and how many weapons it acquires, and no matter whether external forces intervene or not, if it (Taiwan) dares to take risks, it will lead to its own destruction,鈥� he added.
鈥淥ur actions to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity will not cease for a moment.鈥�
Taiwan鈥檚 government rejects Beijing鈥檚 sovereignty claims, saying only the island鈥檚 people can decide their future.
Speaking to reporters in Taipei earlier on Wednesday, Taiwan National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen said China鈥檚 drills had backfired given the international condemnation they generated, especially from Washington.
鈥淭he Chinese communists鈥� military exercise has created a negative effect in that it made the international community more supportive of Taiwan,鈥� he said.
Lai, in his Oct. 10 speech, said China has no right to represent Taiwan, but the island was willing to work with Beijing to combat challenges like climate change, striking both a firm and a conciliatory tone which Taiwan officials said was a show of goodwill toward Beijing.
Chen, the Chinese spokesperson, said Lai had stuck to his 鈥渟tubborn separatist position.鈥�
鈥淭here was no goodwill to speak of,鈥� he added.
Lai has repeatedly offered talks with China but been rebuffed.
China鈥檚 military on Monday held open the possibility of more drills around Taiwan depending on the level of 鈥減rovocation.鈥�
Tsai said the government remained on alert for further military actions.
鈥淲e cannot rule out any possibilities,鈥� he added.
China has over the past five years sent warships and warplanes in the waters and skies around Taiwan on an almost daily basis.
On Wednesday morning, in its daily update of Chinese activities in the previous 24 hours, Taiwan鈥檚 defense ministry said it had detected 22 Chinese military aircraft and five navy ships.
The defeated Republic of China government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong鈥檚 communists. No armistice or peace treaty has ever been signed.