US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday denounced China’s “provocative and destabilizing” military actions near Taiwan, an autonomous island that Beijing claims as its territory.

“We are seeing increased enforcement from Beijing. We have witnessed a gradual increase in provocative and destabilizing military activity near Taiwan,” Austin said at the Shangri-la Dialogue security forum in Singapore.

China conducts warplane operation near Taiwan – Photo: Internet/ND

“This includes aircraft flying near Taiwan in record numbers in recent months and on an almost daily basis.”

Tensions between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan have escalated in recent months.

Beijing considers this island with a population of 24 million people one of its provinces, where in 1949 the Nationalist troops fled in search of refuge after being defeated on the mainland by the communist forces of Mao Tse-tung. Indeed, China often reiterates its goal of reclaiming the island. sooner or later, and if necessary, by force.

In Singapore, representatives of the Ministry of Defense of both countries met for the first time on Friday (10) and clashed over the issue.

“If anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese military will not hesitate to start a war at any cost,” Defense Minister Wei Fenghe said.