- Title: China urges Philippines not to 'play with fire' on Taiwan question
- Date: 2nd April 2025
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (APRIL 2, 2025) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON GUO JIAKUN WALKING INTO CONFERENCE ROOM JOURNALISTS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON, GUO JIAKUN, SAYING: "The Taiwan issue is China's internal affairs and the core of China's core interests. How to solve the Taiwan issue is the Chinese people's own business an
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: Beijing China Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesperson
- Location: BEIJING, CHINA
- City: BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001353102042025RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Chinese foreign ministry on Wednesday (April 2) urged the Philippines not to make "unfounded comments" regarding Taiwan, warning "those who play with fire will burn themselves."
Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun's remarks at a regular press conference came in response to Philippine armed forces chief Romeo Brawner telling soldiers to "start planning for actions in case there is an invasion of Taiwan."
"If something happens to Taiwan, inevitably we will be involved," Brawner said in a speech on Tuesday.
China's military held long-range live-fire drills in the East China Sea on Wednesday in an escalation of ongoing drills around Taiwan, saying it was practicing precision strikes on port and energy facilities but with no details on the exact location. The exercises follow a rise in Chinese rhetoric against Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, who China called a "parasite" on Tuesday, and come on the heels of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's Asia visit, during which he repeatedly criticised Beijing.
(Production: Alessandro Diviggiano, Wang Shubing) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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