Chinese Defense Minister Makes Threatening Statement

The Chinese authorities aim for a peaceful reunification with Taiwan, yet they do not rule out the use of force if necessary. This was stated by China's Defense Minister Li Shangfu during the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference taking place in Singapore.

"China must and will reunify. This corresponds to the aspirations of the people and the trends of our time. We sincerely strive for the prospects of peaceful reunification and will make every effort to achieve this; however, we do not promise to refrain from the use of force," Shangfu stated.

The minister emphasized that if anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, "the PLA will not hesitate for a second."