From Taiwan to Ukraine, in expressed or implied language, Wei marked Washington on Sunday, doubled the Chinese military’s readiness to fight, and remained on the Beijing line in favor of the Kremlin. The harsh messages – a surprise even to some of China’s longtime observers in the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore – came a day after his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, singled out China as a source of instability in the Indo-Pacific region. It is important, however, that Wei say that China “has not supplied any weapons” to Russia to develop in Ukraine. He also repeatedly called it a “war” during the question-and-answer session, going beyond the usual “conflict” label. But there is little room for confusion as to who should bear the brunt of the situation from Beijing’s point of view. According to the Chinese Defense Minister, Ukraine, Russia, China, Europe and the host country of the Singapore Forum are all affected by the consequences of the war. He did not name the United States “Who’s the brain behind this? [the war in Ukraine]”Who will win the most?” said Wei. “Who’s throwing oil on the fire?” Instead of urging Russia to withdraw its troops, Wei said it was time for the United States and NATO to talk to Russia to “create the conditions for a timely ceasefire.” “Those who tie the bell to the tiger must take it out,” he said, citing a clichéd Chinese expression. Wei reserved his most irreconcilable message about Taiwan. “Those who seek Taiwan’s independence in an effort to separate China will certainly not have a happy ending. “No one should ever underestimate the determination and ability of the Chinese armed forces to safeguard their territorial integrity.” “We will fight at all costs and we will fight until the end. “This is the only option for China.” As if the message was not clear enough, Wei said it would be “a road to death” if Taiwan declared its independence from China. A European diplomat described Wei’s comments on Taiwan as “louder than usual”, noting that Wei now equates Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party with supporters of independence. In addition to harsh rhetoric, Wei held several important bilateral meetings – including with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin – at a time when Beijing remains largely banned from foreign official visitors due to strict pandemic policies. In particular, he met with his new Australian counterpart, Richard Marls, on Sunday, the first such meeting after a three-year hiatus amid deteriorating relations between Canberra and Beijing. “It was a full and honest discussion, which we believe is a very important first step,” Marls told reporters afterwards, eager to portray a dynamic that is slowly heating up different from the previous administration’s hostile stance toward China. Marles said he would not “underestimate the difficulties” with Beijing, but added: “The fact that we were able to have this meeting today is an important step in the process.”
