U.S. Defense Secretary Says China's Military Activity Around Taiwan Threatens Region

SINGAPORE - U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stressed American support for Taiwan on Saturday, suggesting at Asia's premier defense forum that recent Chinese military activity around the self-governing island threatens to change the status quo. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Austin noted a "Steady increase in provocative and destabilizing military activity near Taiwan," including almost daily military flights near the island by the People's Republic of China. Taiwan and China split during a civil war in 1949, but China claims the island as its own territory and has not ruled out using military force to take it. Austin met Friday with Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of the conference for discussions where Taiwan featured prominently, according to a senior American defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to provide details of the private meeting. China "Firmly opposes and strongly condemns it," and the Chinese government and military will "Resolutely smash any Taiwan independence plot and resolutely safeguard the reunification of the motherland," Wei reportedly told Austin. In his speech, Austin said the U.S. stands "Firmly behind the principle that cross-strait differences must be resolved by peaceful means," but also would continue to fulfill its commitments to Taiwan. The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which has governed U.S. relations with the island, does not require the U.S. to step in militarily if China invades, but makes it American policy to ensure Taiwan has the resources to defend itself and to prevent any unilateral change of status by Beijing.