Chinese MND warns US Indo-Pacific strategy will ‘only create antagonism and chaos'

Sharp criticism was levelled at the Australia, Japan, and the United States by Chinese Ministry of National Defence (MND) spokesperson Senior Colonel Tan Kefei at the ministry's monthly press conference held on 27 May.

In response to a reporter's question about Washington's continuance of its Indo-Pacific strategy, Snr Col Tan stated that no country should “gang up” on others through the creation of “select and exclusive alliances” or pursue a new Cold War strategy, warning that such “zero-sum games” will only create “more division, antagonism, and chaos”.

The US was also criticised over arms sales to Taiwan amid reports that a deal to sell M109A6 self-propelled howitzers may be announced shortly. Snr Col Tan then attacked Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), asserting that the DPP's “collusion with external forces, betrayal of Chinese interests, and attempts to seek independence by force” would lead Taiwan into “the abyss of disaster”.

Washington should also be blamed for the “weaponisation and militarisation of outer space”, according to Snr Col Tan, who stated that US claims that China and Russia have developed weapons that could either disrupt or destroy US satellites were “neither justified nor convincing”. Rather, the US seeks to “create imaginary enemies and then pretend to be a victim so that they can cook up a pretext for expansion of space armaments and seeking absolute superiority”, he said.