BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Monday pledged to defend its sovereignty and warned against “external interference” after the U.S. unveiled a new security strategy aimed at building up military power to deter conflict with Beijing over Taiwan.
Washington laid out its approach to one of the world’s most sensitive diplomatic issues in its official National Security Strategy released on Friday.
The document came as Beijing last week deployed a large number of naval and coast guard vessels across East Asian waters in its largest show of maritime force to date.
Taiwan is the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations and China brooks no external interference, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, told reporters in Beijing when asked about the document.
“The U.S. side should ... handle the Taiwan question with the utmost prudence, and stop indulging and supporting ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces in seeking independence by force or resisting reunification by force,” he said.
Guo added that China was willing to work with Washington to promote stable ties while safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development interests.
A Chinese carrier strike group launched intense air operations near Japan over the weekend as the East Asian neighbors traded diplomatic barbs in an escalating dispute, further straining ties.
The encounters in waters close to Japan’s southwest island chain come after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned last month that Tokyo could respond to any Chinese military action against Taiwan that also threatened Japan’s security.
On the weekend, China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier conducted about 100 take-offs and landings as it sailed east into the Pacific Ocean past the Okinawa Islands, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces said on Monday.