China is cautioning against the U.S. supporting Taiwan and trying to build a Pacific version of NATO as the crisis in Ukraine draws renewed attention to the status of the Asian island.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi claimed Monday that the “real goal” of the United States’ plans in the Indo-Pacific was to develop Asia’s response to NATO, according to Bloomberg.
“The perverse actions run counter to the common aspiration of the region for peace, development, cooperation and win-win outcomes,” Wang said. “They are doomed to fail.”
China has previously accused the U.S. of attempting to suppress its growth via bloc coalitions, though the new remarks come after Russian President Vladimir Putin recently made similar accusations ahead of his invasion of Ukraine.
During the news conference on Monday, Wang also made some of China’s most direct comments against furthering U.S. relations with Taiwan, Bloomberg reported.
“This would not only push Taiwan into a precarious situation, but will also bring unbearable consequences for the U.S. side,” Wang said, asserting that “Taiwan will eventually return to the embrace of the motherland.”
Under the “One China” policy, the U.S. does not officially recognize Taiwan as a country, though has supported the island through defense aid.
Russia’s attack on Ukraine has drawn many comparisons to China and Taiwan, an assertion Wang called a “double standard.”
“Some, while being vocal about the principle of sovereignty on the Ukrainian issue, have kept undermining China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Taiwan question — this is a blatant double standard,” Wang said.
Also on Monday, Wang referred to China’s relationship with Russia as “one of the most crucial bilateral relationships in the world.”
He also asserted that China’s Red Cross would provide aid to Ukraine “as soon as possible.” Though he did not provide details of that aid, his announcement marked the first time China has offered such assistance to the country since Russia’s invasion began.