China Says War With US Would Be a Disaster as Tensions Mount

Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe warned that a direct war between the United States and China “would bring disaster to both countries and the world,” but warned China might have no choice if the US attempts to split them permanently from Taiwan.

China considers Taiwan part of its territory, and historically this has swung both ways. After the Chinese Civil War, both the Taiwan government and the Beijing government claimed to be rightful rulers of all of China. China has avoided forcibly reunifying with the island, but has also warned Taiwan against presenting itself as an independent nation.

Chinese officials are warning that the US is threatening regional stability, both with its actions toward Taiwan, and with continued US naval actions near Chinese-claimed islands in the South China Sea. The US does not recognize Chinese claims to those islands, and generally doesn’t even consider them islands.

Despite mounting tensions both on strategic interests and the Trump Administration’s trade war, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan says the US won’t “tiptoe” around China on these issues, accusing China of threatening the international order.