The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is fully prepared and always ready to resolutely smash any foreign interference and aggression, said Lieutenant-General He Lei on Monday.
He, former vice president of the People's Liberation Army Academy of Military Sciences, sat with China Global Television Network (CGTN) ahead of the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum to discuss the South China Sea issue and the Taiwan question.
He accused the Philippines of constantly creating new tensions in the South China Sea to provoke China and harm China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in violation of regional rules and the international law. "As we all know, China and the Philippines are close neighbors facing each other across the sea with a traditional friendship. However, the Philippines has quickly turned to the United States and strengthened their military alliance since June 2022. It has made frequent provocations in Huangyan Dao, Ren'ai Jiao, and now Xianbin Jiao, to disrupt and undermine China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. In disregard of China's dissuasion, the Philippines insists on such practices, which seriously violate the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. It is a unilateral change of the status quo and an act against the rules of international law," He said.
The senior officer also condemned the repeated U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, saying China's complete reunification is a process that cannot be halted by such moves.
"The U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, whether for offensive or defensive purposes, are arming Taiwan and condoning "Taiwan independence", which undermines the security of the Taiwan Strait. I believe that no matter how many the U.S. arms sales are, no matter what the weapons are, they cannot stop the great cause of the reunification of the Chinese nation," He said.
Noting both the South China Sea issue and the Taiwan question face external interference, He said the PLA has strong will and confidence in defeating any foreign enemy to safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
"Resolutely defending the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests is the sacred duty and historical mission of the PLA. The Chinese people and the PLA will never allow any external force to interfere in China's internal affairs or invade China's territory. The PLA is fully prepared and always ready to resolutely smash any interference and aggression by any foreign enemy with firm determination, strong will, powerful capabilities and effective means," he said.
Initiated in 2006, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum is a high-level security and defense forum in Asia-Pacific with significant international influence. The 11th edition of the forum, themed "Promoting Peace for a Shared Future", is underway in Beijing from Thursday to Saturday.
PLA ready to smash any foreign interference, aggression: lieutenant general
