On Friday, China's defense minister told his US counterpart that if Taiwan declares independence, Beijing will "not hesitate to start a war."
Wei Fenghe issued the warning to US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore.
"If anyone dares to split Taiwan from China, the Chinese army will definitely not hesitate to start a war no matter the cost"
- Wu Quan, Defence Ministry Spokesman
Beijing considers Taiwan to be its territory, and has threatened to reclaim the island by force if necessary.
They accuse the U.S. of using Taiwan to contain China.
