Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for “raising the armed forces to world-class levels” in an escalating war of words just days after Beijing’s new foreign minister warned of conflict with Washington if the SA their course. The comments come as the US and its allies have cracked down on Chinese military technology, blocking the export of advanced semiconductor technology to Beijing. These high-tech chips can be used in advanced military hardware and even weapons of mass destruction.
Addressing delegates in the ceremonial parliament representing the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) – the military wing of the communist party – he said China must “systematically upgrade the overall strength of the country to deal with to protect strategic risks, strategic interests and achieve strategic objectives”.
He also called on China to build self-reliance in science and technology, strengthen strategic capabilities in crisis areas, make industrial and supply chains more sustainable and make national resources “more capable of national security.” to protect.”
He referred to “achieving the PLA’s centennial goals by 2027”, a date by which some analysts believe China wants to take over Taiwan, by force if necessary.
On Tuesday, China’s new Foreign Minister, Qin Gang, warned in uncharacteristic terms about the possibility that friction between the US and China could lead to something worse.
“If the United States does not hit the brake, but continues to accelerate in the wrong direction, so many guardrails cannot prevent it from going away and there will certainly be conflict and conflict,” Qin said in his first press conference since taking office last year.
“A competition like this is an irresponsible gamble, with the stakes being the fundamental interests of both peoples and even the future of humanity,” he said.
However, it seems that the US will continue to try to counter China’s “strategic goals”. The heated comments from key CCP members come as the US reached an agreement with its allies to ban the export of advanced chip technology that is often used in military hardware.
The Netherlands and the US reached an agreement to ban the export of manufacturing equipment in January, but so far The Hague has yet to comment on the proposal.
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“Given the technological developments and the geopolitical context, the government has decided that it is necessary for national (international) security to extend the current export controls on manufacturing equipment especially for semiconductors,” Foreign Trade Minister Liesje Schreinemacher wrote in a letter to Dutch lawmakers.
He said that the Netherlands did not want Dutch technology to end up in weapons systems or even weapons of mass destruction.
The advanced semiconductors are used in guidance systems for weapons including missiles, among other things, making them extremely valuable as China builds up its military.
The Netherlands is home to chip company ASML, a major player in the semiconductor supply chain. Although China is not specifically mentioned in Schreinemacher’s letter, Washington has been looking to stop Beijing from trying to get along with allies such as Taiwan, South Korea and Japan in semiconductor technology.
The top US general also criticized Beijing on Wednesday, saying China was “aggressively influencing our democratic neighbors.” “
General Laura J. Richardson, Commander of the US Southern Command, which is responsible for South America and the Caribbean, testified before the House Armed Services Committee on Russia and China.
“[China] spreading its infamous influence, using its economic strength, and conducting gray zone operations to expand its reach and military and political influence,” Richardson said. “This is a strategic risk that we cannot accept or ignore.”
Among other activities, China has built a large embassy in the Bahamas, just 50 miles (80 kilometers) off the coast of Florida.
“Presence and proximity are absolutely critical, and a stable and secure Western Hemisphere is critical to the defense of the nation,” Richardson said.
As rhetoric on both sides becomes increasingly hostile, relations between the US and China appear to be at their lowest point in decades.
