Austin waited for 18 months, and our defense secretary finally answered the phone, and Dong Jun clearly drew a "red line" on the Taiwan issue, and at the same time stressed that there should be no chaos in the South China Sea.
On the evening of the 16th, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun had a video call with U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin at the request, which was also the first long conversation between the Chinese and U.S. defense ministers after the then Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Pelosi visited Taiwan, China in 2022, that is, the first substantive meeting between the Chinese and U.S. defense ministers in nearly 18 months, in other words, this phone call Austin waited for 18 months. First, the phone call between the defense ministers of China and the United States can be regarded as part of the recent efforts to strengthen exchanges between senior Chinese and US officials in accordance with the requirements of the two heads of state; second, this obviously has a great deal to do with the current international situation, and the most obvious example is the ongoing Russia-Ukraine and Palestinian-Israeli conflicts, and the risk of spillover from the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is obvious, especially before Israel openly attacked the Iranian embassy in Syria, and the ensuing Iranian air strikes launched by Israel in response. In addition to this, there are also issues such as tensions in the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, and the Korean Peninsula, and these are all things that the United States is eager to know about our attitude, and it is not difficult to understand that Austin is looking for the mainland at this time.
During the video call, Defense Minister Dong Jun clearly drew a "red line" to the US side on the Taiwan issue and the South China Sea issue, and Dong Jun stressed that the Taiwan issue is the core of China's core interests, and China's core interests must not be damaged. The Chinese People's Liberation Army will never let anything go wrong with all "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and external connivance and support. At the same time, he pointed out that the current situation in the South China Sea is generally stable, and regional countries have the willingness, wisdom and ability to solve problems. The US side should clearly recognize China's firm position, earnestly respect China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and take concrete actions to safeguard regional peace and the stability of China-US and militaries. The reason why China wants to emphasize the above two points is that the negative trend of the US on the Taiwan issue and the South China Sea issue has become more obvious and rampant recently.
Not long ago, the leaders of the United States, Japan, and the Philippines held their first trilateral meeting in the United States and issued a joint statement, in which the contents of the statement hyped up the South China Sea issue, groundlessly criticized China on the East China Sea issue, and made false remarks about the Taiwan issue. After the trilateral meeting, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos had a "showdown" on the South China Sea issue, publicly declaring that he would "deal with China". On the day of the 15th, Marcos arrogantly admitted at a press conference that the Philippines added four new US military base locations last year, the purpose of which was intended to deal with China's actions in the South China Sea. What can make Marcos say such things so unscrupulously is obviously that the United States, Japan and the Philippines have given the Philippines what "commitments" the United States has given to the Philippines at this trilateral meeting. Combined with the follow-up news released by the US Pacific Army, the answer is clear at once. Because the U.S. Army's 1st Multi-Domain Task Force deployed the Intermediate-Range Strike Capability missile system in the Philippines for the first time in history. It is understood that the "medium-range capability" launch system, also known as the "Typhon" weapon system, is part of the US Army's "long-range precision fire" (LRPF) program, and is mainly used to launch "Tomahawk" cruise missiles, as well as compatible with the RIM-174 "Standard" SM-6 ballistic missile, which can be used against surface targets. The missile system is deployed in the northern part of Luzon Island on the "first island chain" and can not only cover the entire Luzon Strait, but also "reach various bases on the coast of China as well as in the South China Sea." This may be where Marcos's "confidence" lies, and of course, this once again reflects the bad intentions of the United States to deliberately disrupt the South China Sea.
On the other hand, on Taiwan-related issues, the US side's provocative moves are also continuing. Not long ago, Taiwan's "Navy Commander" Tang Hua also paid a visit to the United States. Foreign media believe that Tang Hua's visit to the United States this time is part of the "joint island defense concept" of the United States, because the United States is interested in coordinating with Japan, the Philippines, and the Taiwan region to confront the PLA in the "first island chain". Obviously, the purpose of these moves by the US side is to prevent Chinese mainland from accepting Taiwan, so that it can continue to play the "Taiwan card" and then "use Taiwan to contain China." In view of the above-mentioned situation, it is obviously necessary for China to give the US side a clear warning that there can be no chaos in the South China Sea, and that it is not the turn of the US to intervene in the Taiwan Strait.