Chinese Foreign Minister Says Beijing Will ‘Never Back Down’ on Taiwan

Qin Gang says US is 'playing with fire' on the Taiwan issue

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said Friday that China would “never back down” on the issue of Taiwan, which Beijing views as its own territory, in a warning aimed at the US and the government in Taipei.

Qin made the comments toward the end of a speech on China’s contributions to the global economy. “The Taiwan problem is at the core of China’s core interests,” he said. “We will never back down in the face of any act that undermines China’s sovereignty and security. Those who play with fire on the question of Taiwan will burn themselves.”

China’s military recently conducted three days of major live-fire exercises around Taiwan in response to President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) in California. Beijing views such high-level contacts as a violation of Washington’s one-China policy.

China has stepped up the military pressure on Taiwan in recent years in direct response to growing ties between Washington and Taipei. Despite the rise in tensions, the US also isn’t backing down and continues to boost support for Taiwan in different ways.

Qin also responded to accusations that Beijing is looking to change the “status quo” across the Taiwan Strait. “It is not the Chinese mainland but the Taiwan independence separatist forces and a handful of countries attempting to disrupt the status quo,” he said.

Since taking his post as China’s foreign minister at the end of December, Qin has explicitly warned the US and China are on a path toward war if things don’t change. “If the United States does not hit the brake, but continues to speed down the wrong path, no amount of guardrails can prevent derailing, and there surely will be conflict and confrontation,” he said in March.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.