Working on LAC peace, good ties in interests of both nations: China

New Delhi, June 12

China and India are neighbours, and maintaining a good relationship meets the interests of both countries, Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe said in Singapore on Sunday, stressing that the two nations are working together for peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Addressing the Shangri-La Dialogue, Wei also called for peaceful means for settling territorial disputes, including those in the South China Sea. “But on frictions along the border areas, the merit of the issue is clear. I personally experienced the start and end of the frictions as Defence Minister,” he added.

Asserting China’s long-standing position on Taiwan, Wei warned: “If anyone dares to secede Taiwan from China, we will not hesitate to fight. We will fight at all costs. And we will fight to the very end. This is the only choice for China.” Refuting US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin’s speech at the Dialogue a day earlier, Zhang said the US’ strategy was designed to destroy peace. Austin had called the Indo-Pacific strategy “our priority theater of operations” and “at the heart of American grand strategy”.

From India’s point of view, Austin had said, “Beijing continues to harden its position along the border that it shares with India.” This is the second such observation about the Line of Actual Control (LAC) by a senior US official within a week. On June 8, US Army’s Pacific Commanding General Charles Flynn said Chinese infrastructure build-up near its border with India in Ladakh was “alarming”.

On the other hand, Zhang Zhenzhong, a senior member of the Chinese Defence Minister’s delegation, criticised the US’ Indo-Pacific Strategy.

“The United States has already turned the Middle East and Europe into a mess, does it want to mess up Asia-Pacific next?” Zhang asked.