"The more unruly the separatist independence advocates in Taiwan become, the tighter the noose around their necks will be and the sharper the sword hanging over their heads." This was the complete statement released on Sunday by a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Defense during a sideline briefing at the National People's Congress (NPC), the annual meeting of the giant Asian country's parliament.
Wu Qian, the ministry's spokesperson, issued this threat to Taiwan at the end of a week in which Beijing announced a 7.2% increase in military spending. As is customary each year, references to the "inevitable reunification" of the self-governing island that China considers part of its territory have been frequent at the Chinese legislative meeting.
The Chinese military has intensified pressure on Taiwan in recent years with continuous military exercises, deploying fighter jets and warships around the island. Wu accused the Taiwanese government of constantly provoking Beijing and "relying on the United States to achieve independence," referring to how Washington, although not formally recognizing Taiwan's sovereignty, has become the island's main arms supplier.
"Several pieces of American weaponry will not alter the inevitable disappearance of Taiwan's independence," the spokesperson stated. "If the separatists do not step back from the edge of the cliff, they will face a dead end," he concluded.
Wu also defended the recent increase in defense spending, consistent with the previous two years, stating that it is "relatively low" in terms of GDP. China is the world's second-largest military spender, and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the largest in terms of personnel, but its budget is still less than a third of the size of Washington's. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, China's military spending last year accounted for 1.6% of its GDP, compared to over 3% of the U.S. GDP.
"China has not yet achieved complete reunification and faces one of the world's most complex security environments. The Chinese military has significant challenges ahead to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Wu said, echoing a similar message to the one President Xi Jinping delivered a couple of days ago in a meeting with military leaders.
Xi, who emphasized the use of cutting-edge technology to enhance combat capabilities, also called for increased efforts in combating corruption within the armed forces. Last year, the Chinese government carried out an anti-corruption campaign that led to the downfall of many senior military officials, starting with former Defense Minister Li Shangfu, a 66-year-old veteran general who was officially expelled from the Communist Party.
Another former Defense Minister, Wei Fenghe (who held the position between 2018 and 2023), was also expelled from the party for another corruption case. The Defense portfolio held by both Li and Wei, unlike their Western or other Asian counterparts, carries more diplomatic and ceremonial weight than political decision-making.
In China, it is the powerful Central Military Commission that truly directs military affairs. This body consists of seven individuals, including the Defense Minister, but always subordinate in the chain of command to two vice-chairmen and President Xi, who leads this commission as the country's top military authority.
The Chinese leader advocates for the modernization of an army that has been flexing its muscles far from its shores for some time. A Chinese navy destroyer and a replenishment ship will participate next week in a joint naval exercise with Iran and Russia. These maneuvers, the fifth in which these three countries have participated together, will take place off the Iranian port of Chabahar in the Gulf of Oman.