On December 8, China’s state media Global Times held its 2019 annual meeting. The theme was, “The China-U.S. competition and the Changing World.” In the discussion regarding the topic, “Will the smoke of war rise again in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait?,” Dai Xu, the president of the Institute of Marine Safety and Cooperation (and a military officer noted for being hawkish), asserted that, if U.S. warships illegally break into China’s territorial waters, suggest China dispatch two warships, one to stop it and one to sink it! “In our territorial waters, we don’t allow U.S. warships to sail at will.”
Dai Xu believes that whether in the South China Sea or the Taiwan Strait, the situation is not optimistic for next year. Tension will be high. “Why do you put the battlefield in the South China Sea and Taiwan? If there is tension in the Taiwan Strait, we don’t have to worry too much. The development of the economy is above all. We must rescue the top issue. However, if the opportunity is presented right in front of us, why not take it? So, the tense situation will instead accelerate our unification. It will only be the beginning of the liberation war. Therefore, we are not afraid of anything. We should be well prepared, wait, and see. As long as strategic opportunities arise, we should take action to put the situation under control.”
Dai Xu expressed the same view on the South China Sea issue, arguing that the “freedom of navigation” proclaimed by the United States is a provocation against China and an interference in sovereignty.
Source: Global Times, December 8, 2018
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