Beijing’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, warned that China would “forcefully counter” large-scale U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, as the Chinese military conducted a second day of live-fire drills surrounding the island. Wang made the remarks in a speech in Beijing, emphasizing that the measures were a response to what he described as continuous provocations by pro-independence forces in Taiwan and the U.S.’s ongoing weapons transfers.
The statement came shortly after China’s military announced it had carried out long-range live-fire exercises in waters north of Taiwan, demonstrating its growing military presence in the region. China considers Taiwan part of its sovereign territory and has consistently refused to rule out the use of military force to bring the self-governed democracy under its control.
Speaking at an international relations symposium in Beijing, Wang reiterated that any attempts to obstruct China’s goal of unification with Taiwan “will inevitably end in failure,” underscoring Beijing’s firm stance on the issue. The combination of military drills and diplomatic warnings highlights rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait amid escalating U.S.-China strategic competition.
