'Don't Play With Fire': China To US On Taiwan After Washington Warns Of Invasion

Last Updated:May 31, 2025, 23:02 IST

The response from China came after the US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday said that China's designs on Taiwan pose a threat to global peace and stability.

Lin Jian, Spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China

China warned the United States on Saturday over Taiwan issue, stating that Washington should not exploit the issue for leverage and must refrain from playing with fire.

“The US should not try to use the Taiwan issue as a bargaining chip to contain China and must not play with fire," the foreign ministry stated.

This followed a warning issued by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday, stating that China’s designs on Taiwan present a threat to global peace and stability that requires “our allies and partners [to] do their part on defence".

“There is no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent," Hegseth said in a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

“Beijing is credibly preparing potentially to use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific," with People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces training daily to take military action against Taiwan, he added.

Meanwhile, China’s foreign ministry said it had “lodged solemn representations with the US side" over Hegseth’s comments and added that it “strongly deplores" his remarks.

Beijing referred to the Taiwan issue as China’s “internal affair" and said foreign countries had no right to interfere.

Location :

China

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News world 'Don't Play With Fire': China To US On Taiwan After Washington Warns Of Invasion