China demands end to US-Taiwan military 'collusion'

China has demanded the U.S. cease military “collusion” with Taiwan during a virtual meeting between the joint chiefs of staff from the two ... ABCNewsVideoLiveShowsGunsinAmericaJan.6InterestSuccessfullyAddedWe'llnotifyyouherewithnewsaboutTurnondesktopnotificationsforbreakingstoriesaboutinterest?OffOnChinademandsendtoUS-Taiwanmilitary'collusion'ChinahasdemandedtheU.S.ceasemilitary“collusion”withTaiwanduringavirtualmeetingbetweenthejointchiefsofstafffromthetwosidesByTheAssociatedPressJuly08,2022,8:21AMFILE-China'sPeople'sLiberationArmy(PLA)Gen.LiZuocheng,center,speaksduringameetingwithU.S.ArmyChiefofStaffGen.MarkMilley,notshown,attheBayiBuildinginBeijingonAug.16,2016.ChinahasdemandedtheU.S.ceasemilitary"collusion"withTaiwanduringavirtualmeetingbetweenthejointchiefsofstafffromthetwocountries,whoserelationshiphasgrownincreasinglyfractious.(APPhoto/MarkSchiefelbein,Pool,File)TheAssociatedPressBEIJING--ChinahasdemandedtheU.S.ceasemilitary“collusion”withTaiwanduringavirtualmeetingbetweenthejointchiefsofstafffromthetwocountrieswhoserelationshiphasgrownincreasinglyfractious.Gen.LiZuochengtoldGen.MarkMilleyonThursdaythatChinahad“noroomforcompromise”onissuesaffectingits“coreinterests,”whichincludeself-governingTaiwan,whichBeijingclaimsasitsownterritorytobeannexedbyforceifnecessary.“ChinademandstheU.S....ceasereversinghistory,ceaseU.S.-TaiwanmilitarycollusionandavoidimpactingChina-U.S.tiesandstabilityintheTaiwanStrait,"Lisaid.TheChinesemilitarywould“resolutelysafeguardnationalsovereigntyandterritorialintegrity,”hesaid.“Ifanyonecreatesawantonprovocation,theywillbemetwiththefirmcounterattackfromtheChinesepeople."SuchlanguageisfairlyroutineandLiwasalsoquotedinaDefenseMinistrynewsreleasesayingChinahopedto“furtherstrengthendialogue,handlerisks,andpromotecooperation,ratherthandeliberatelycreatingconfrontation,provokingincidentsandbecomingmutuallyexclusive."ChinaroutinelyflieswarplanesnearTaiwantoadvertiseitsthreattoattack,andtheisland'sDefenseMinistrysaidChineseairforceaircraftcrossedthemiddlelineoftheTaiwanStraitdividingthetwosidesonFridaymorning.Itsaidmeasuresweretakeninresponse,includingthescramblingofTaiwanesejets.Such“provocativebehavior...hasseriouslydamagedregionalpeaceandstability,"theministrysaid.Askedabouttheincident,aChineseForeignMinistryspokespersonsaid,“ThisexercisebyChinaisdirectedatexternalinterferenceandseparatistTaiwanindependenceforces."ThemeetingbetweenLiandMilleyfollowedfierycommentsbyChineseDefenseMinisterWeiFengheataregionalsecurityconferencelastmonththatwasalsoattendedbyU.S.SecretaryofDefenseLloydAustin.WeiaccusedtheUnitedStatesoftryingto“hijack”thesupportofcountriesintheAsia-PacificregiontoturnthemagainstBeijing,sayingWashingtonisseekingtoadvanceitsowninterests“undertheguiseofmultilateralism.”AtthesamemeetinginSingapore,AustinsaidChinawascausinginstabilitywithitsclaimtoTaiwananditsincreasedmilitaryactivityinthearea.AndinMay,U.S.SecretaryofStateAntonyBlinkencalledChinathe“mostseriouslong-termchallengetotheinternationalorder”fortheUnitedStates,withitsclaimstoTaiwanandeffortstodominatethestrategicSouthChinaSea,promptinganangryresponsefromBeijing.TheU.S.anditsallieshaverespondedwithwhattheyterm“freedomofnavigation"patrolsintheSouthChinaSea,promptingangryresponsesfromBeijing.DespitenothavingformaldiplomaticrelationsindeferencetoBeijing,WashingtonremainsTaiwan’schiefallyandsupplierofdefenseweapons.U.S.lawrequiresthegovernmenttotreatallthreatstotheislandasmattersof“graveconcern,”althoughitremainsambiguousonwhethertheU.S.militarywoulddefendTaiwanifitwereattackedbyChina.ThelatestroundofheatedrhetoriccomesaheadofameetingbetweenBlinkenandhisChinesecounterpart,WangYi,onSaturdayatagatheringofforeignministersfromtheG-20blocofindustrializednationsinIndonesiathatisexpectedtobeovershadowedbydisagreementsoverRussia'sinvasionofUkraine.ChinahasrefusedtocriticizeMoscow'saggressionoreventermitaninvasion,whilecondemningWesternsanctionsagainstRussiaandaccusingtheU.S.andNATOofprovokingtheconflict.AlongwithTaiwanandtheSouthChinaSea,WashingtonandBeijingarealsoatoddsovertrade,humanrightsandChina'spoliciesinTibetandtowardmainlyMuslimTurkicminoritiesinthenorthwesternregionofXinjiang.UStouristfallsintoMountVesuviusaftertakingselfieJul13,03:02PM5deadin4hoursinshootingsJul13,12:19PMAbout40peopleunaccountedforduetofloodinginVirginia2hoursagoFirstonABC:Mexicotopay$1.5billionforUSborder,sourcesaysJul12,04:22PMEx-CIAengineerconvictedinmassivetheftofsecretinfo2hoursagoABCNewsLive24/7coverageofbreakingnewsandliveevents