China should be prepared of 'terrible consequences' if it precipitates crisis in Taiwan, says Blinken

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned China against its increasing incursions in China saying that it should be prepared of 'terrible consequences' if it precipitates a crisis in Taipei.

According to him, the United States is ''resolutely committed'' to protect Taiwan, and if China decides to invade Taiwan ''that would be a potentially disastrous decision.''

"I hope that China's leaders think very carefully about this and about not precipitating a crisis that would have I think terrible consequences for lots of people and one that's in no one's interest, starting with China," he added.

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China and the United States are tussling over President Joe Biden's upcoming democracy summit, in which Taiwan is invited.

Chinese Communist Party sees as a challenge to its authoritarian ways as it claims the self-governing island as part of its territory and objects to it having any contact on its own with foreign governments.

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China's President Xi Jinping chided Taiwan's efforts to bolster support among US politicians and compared encouraging independence to "playing with fire".

"If 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces provoke us, coerce us or even cross the red line, we will have no choice but to take decisive measures," said Xi, in a not-so-veiled threat of conflict.

Taiwan's defense minister has said tensions with China are at their worst in more than 40 years adding that China will be capable of mounting a "full-scale" invasion by 2025.