As the extended territorial disputes continue pitting powers against one another in Asia, Chinese armed forces vowed not to lose a single inch of their ancestors' land and even annex new ones.
As a response to a question on the National Defense of China strategy, the Information Bureau of the Chinese Defense Ministry emphasized in their statement, which was published Monday, that they cannot lose a single inch of the lands that they inherited from their ancestors. The Chinese Defense Ministry also added that they would not also take a single cent from others' possessions.
The remarks echoed the comments that the President of China Xi Jinping made during a visit to Beijing in June 2018 by then-Defense Secretary James Mattis. Since then, the tensions have worsened between the two largest economies in the world, which expanded the rift in their rival geopolitical views in locations like Taiwan, and naval territories like the East and the South China Seas.
However, According to Newsweek, the Information Bureau said Beijing could both seek to safeguard Chinese sovereignty and remain at peace at the same time.
Based on the statement, the socialist nature of China, Independent foreign policy of peace, and the Chinese cultural tradition of peace are the most precious, as the Chinese Armed Forces are determined that China will be unswervingly pursuing a defensive National Defense policy and insist on never seeking any territorial dominance.
Moreover, the statement also mentioned that the never expanding and never seeking spheres of influence are the distinctive features of China's national defense in the new era.
Besides, since the foundation of what the authorities of China called 'New China' or its establishment of the People's Republic by the Chinese Communist Party in 1949, also mentioned in the statement that the leadership in the country has never provoked a war, and they have never invaded even a single inch of territory from any other country, BBC reported.
On the other hand, China has also battled against separatist movements and fought numerous conflicts within its borders, including India, Vietnam, and the former Soviet Union. Meanwhile, in an ongoing dispute that incorporates these things, China continues to threaten forced reunification with Taiwan, an autonomous island led by a government that called itself the Republic of China after losing a civil war with the mainland, South China Morning Post reported.
Even the United States switched international recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. Still, the US continued and maintained formal ties by providing military assistance to Taipei despite the Chinese protests. The said policy was even expanded by Former US President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden, who has continuously supported Taiwan.
Biden's administration has also rejected China's claims to the South China Sea with contested land formations such as Paracel Islands and Spratlys. The Western country has conducted 'freedom of navigation' operations in the area, which other international partners also join, which challenge the position of the Chinese Armed Forces.
