China made a warning against “external forces” backing Taiwan on Monday after launching live-fire drills around the island that it said would simulate a blockade of its key ports.
Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and has refused to rule out using military action to seize the island democracy.
Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular news conference that any attempts to stop China’s unification of Taiwan with the mainland were “doomed to fail”.
This week’s show of force follows a bumper round of arms sales to Taipei by the United States, Taiwan’s main security backer.
“External forces attempting to use Taiwan to contain China and arm Taiwan will only embolden pro-independence arrogance and push the Taiwan Strait into a perilous situation of imminent war,” Lin said.
“Any sinister schemes to obstruct China’s reunification are doomed to fail.”
pfc-je/mtp
© Agence France-Presse
