China warns US Navy over Taiwan

BEIJING: A senior Chinese military official warned the US Navy Tuesday against any “interference” in support of Taiwan’s independence, saying that Beijing would defend its claim to the island “at any cost”.

General Li Zuocheng, a member of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during a meeting in Beijing with Admiral John Richardson, the chief of US naval operations. China sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified, despite the two sides being ruled separately since they split in 1949 after a civil war won by Mao Zedong’s communists. The self-ruled island has its own currency, flag and government, but is not recognised as an independent state by the UN. Beijing has said it will not hesitate to use force if Taipei formally declares independence, or in the case of external intervention — including by the United States, the island’s most powerful unofficial ally.