China has directly accused the United States of deliberately misrepresenting its national defence policy with the aim of undermining improving relations between Beijing and New Delhi. The sharp accusation was made by Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian during a regular press briefing on Thursday.
China's Strategic Perspective on India Ties
Lin Jian was responding to questions about whether China might seek to exploit the recent easing of military tensions along the disputed Sino-Indian border to prevent a deepening of strategic cooperation between the United States and India. The spokesperson firmly rejected this premise, stating that China approaches its relationship with India from a strategic and long-term perspective. This statement comes amid a backdrop of ongoing border negotiations and high-level dialogues between the two Asian giants.
The context for the questioning was a recent Pentagon report submitted to the U.S. Congress. The report highlighted that China has included its claim over India's Arunachal Pradesh within its stated "core interests". According to the U.S. assessment, this move is part of Beijing's broader strategy to achieve the "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" by the year 2049. The report further notes that China's leadership has expanded the scope of these core interests to include Taiwan, sovereignty and maritime disputes in the South China Sea, the Senkaku Islands, and Arunachal Pradesh. Chinese officials have framed the unification with contested territories, especially Taiwan, as a necessary component of national rejuvenation.
Warnings to US on Taiwan and TikTok
In a parallel development, China's defence ministry issued a stern warning to Washington regarding its military support for Taiwan. Spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang stated that recent U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are "speeding up the threat of war in the Taiwan Strait". He urged the United States to immediately halt all provocations and correct its wrong actions. This warning followed the U.S. announcement last week of an $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan, which marks the largest-ever American weapons sale to the island. Taiwan's democratically elected government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims.
On the economic front, China commented on the ongoing situation regarding TikTok's U.S. operations. Commerce ministry spokesperson He Yongqian said on Thursday that the Chinese government hopes companies can find solutions that comply with Chinese laws and balance all parties' interests. This statement came after TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, signed binding agreements to transfer control of the app's U.S. operations to a consortium of investors, including Oracle. He Yongqian added that China hopes the U.S. will provide a fair, open, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies operating there.
Regional Tensions with Japan
China's diplomatic stance remained firm in another theatre, as its defence ministry called on Japan to stop spreading what it termed false narratives and to cease targeted military deployments against China. The ministry suggested it was unsurprising that people worry about a potential 'space Pearl Harbour' given Japan's pursuit of an 'offensive space policy'. China warned it would take resolute countermeasures against any acts of harassment and provocation.
Despite these tensions, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated on Wednesday that Tokyo's door to dialogue with China remains open. She emphasized that Japan's goal of a constructive and stable relationship with Beijing has been consistent during her two months in office. Takaichi made these remarks amidst an ongoing dispute triggered by her comments in early November suggesting Japan's military could theoretically be deployed if China attacked Taiwan, which drew strong criticism and travel restrictions from Beijing.
The series of statements from Beijing on Thursday paints a picture of a China actively defending its strategic interests on multiple fronts—from its Himalayan borders with India to the waters of the Taiwan Strait and its economic engagements with the West—while accusing the United States of being a primary source of instability in its key relationships.
