Weeks after the United States (US) president warned China over Taiwan, Beijing has delivered its sternest rebuttal yet, saying it would "resolutely crush any attempt" at Taiwan's independence.On Sunday, China's Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe essentially accused the US of supporting the island's independence, saying it was "violating its promise on Taiwan" and "interfering" in China's affairs."Let me make this clear: if anyone dares t

China will "fight to the very end" to stop Taiwanese independence, the country's defence minister vowed Sunday, stoking already soaring tensions with the United States (US) over the island.The superpowers are locked in a growing war of words over the self-ruled, democratic island, which Beijing views as part of its territory awaiting reunification.Frequent Chinese aircraft incursions near Taiwan have raised the diplomatic temperature, and on Saturday US Defense Secretary Lloyd

United States (US) Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday blasted China's "provocative, destabilising" military activity near Taiwan, as well as Beijing's growing aggression across the wider Asia-Pacific region.Tensions between Washington and Beijing are soaring over democratic, self-ruled Taiwan, which China views as its territory and has vowed to seize one day, by force if necessary.Beijing has conducted dozens of incursions into Taiwan's air defence zone this y

Beijing will "not hesitate to start a war" if Taiwan declares independence, China's defence minister warned his United States (US) counterpart Friday, the latest salvo between the superpowers over the island.The warning from Wei Fenghe came as he held his first face-to-face meeting with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on the side-lines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore.Beijing views democratic, self-ruled Taiwan as its territory and has vowed to one day

The Chinese military has said it conducted a “combat readiness patrol” in the sea and airspace around the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.In a statement, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command said the exercises had taken place in recent days and were “a necessary action” against what it described as “US-Taiwan collusion”. “Recently, the United States has frequently made moves on the Taiwan issue, saying one thing and doing ano

China will hold naval exercises in the South China Sea (SCS) on Saturday, its maritime authority said, after a week of recrimination from Western powers over its military ambitions across the Pacific region.The exercises, set to take place in the sea less than 25 kilometres (15.5 miles) off the coast of south China's Hainan province, come as the United States (US) leads warnings over China's growing military and economic presence in an area spanning from the SCS to the Pacific Islan

President Joe Biden vowed Monday that United States (US) forces would defend Taiwan militarily if China attempted to take control of the island by force, prompting Beijing to warn that America was "playing with fire."Speaking in Tokyo, Biden compared China's threat to self-ruled Taiwan to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, delivering his strongest remarks to date on the issue amid rising tensions over Beijing's growing economic and military power.Asked if Washington was will

Taiwanese people don’t mind queueing. They’ll do it for a well-reviewed restaurant, promotional giveaways, or to take an Instagram photo at a popular tourist site. But at 3:00 pm outside a Gongguan pharmacy in Taipei, there’s grumbling in the line. It’s an inconvenient time to leave work, but for now it’s the only way to get your hands on a rapid COVID-19 test.20 minutes after the sales window opens, a woman walks out to the waiting customers: they’ve sold out.

China sent 18 warplanes, including fighters and bombers, into Taiwan’s air defence zone, prompting the island’s air force to scramble jets in response to the second-largest incursion so far this year.Taipei’s defence ministry said the Chinese aircraft crossed into the island’s air defence zone on Friday, forcing the scrambling of Taiwanese aircraft and the deployment of air defence missile systems to track the Chinese planes. Taiwan, which is claimed by China as its own territory, ha

China has said it held military drills around Taiwan, as a group of United States (US) lawmakers visited the self-ruled island in a show of support that Beijing slammed as “deliberately provocative”.The Chinese military sent frigates, bombers and fighter planes to the East China Sea and the area around Taiwan, the People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theatre Command said on Friday, in a statement released as the US legislators were holding a news conference in Taipei.