China warns against ties with Taiwan after Hong Kong stopped Singapore troop carriers

Record ID: 77514

  • Title: China warns against ties with Taiwan after Hong Kong stopped Singapore troop carriers
  • Date: 25th November 2016
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (NOVEMBER 25, 2016) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN GENG SHUANG WALKING IN FOR REGULAR BRIEFING MEDIA SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, GENG SHUANG, SAYING: "We have noted the relevant reports and are now verifying the situation. The entry of foreigners and foreign goods into the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region should respect its relevant laws. At the same time I wish to reiterate that the Chinese government consistently and resolutely opposes any form of official exchanges, including military exchanges and cooperation, between countries with which we have diplomatic relations and the Taiwan region." BRIEFING IN PROGRESS EXTERIOR OF CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY CHINESE NATIONAL FLAG FLYING
  • Embargoed: 10th December 2016 10:25
  • Keywords: Hong Kong Singapore China troop carriers
  • Location: BEIJING/HONG KONG, CHINA
  • City: BEIJING/HONG KONG, CHINA
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Defence,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA00159XZ0W5
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Beijing on Friday (November 25) used the seizure of Singaporean armoured troop carriers in Hong Kong en route from Taiwan to warn against ties with the island it considers a breakaway province.
    Singapore is trying to free the troop carriers detained in Hong Kong as they were being shipped home from overseas, Singapore's Defence Ministry said on Thursday (November 24).
    Taiwanese media said Singapore and Taiwan were in joint drills and a returning military shipment should not have been stopped in Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
    Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang was asked about the issue during Friday's briefing.
    "I wish to reiterate that the Chinese government consistently and resolutely opposes any form of official exchanges, including military exchanges and cooperation, between countries with which we have diplomatic relations and the Taiwan region," he said.
    A statement from Hong Kong's Customs and Excise Department said 12 Singapore-bound containers containing "suspected controlled items" were found in a routine search of a ship from Taiwan.
    The seizure comes amid signs of rising strategic tension between China and Singapore, which has deepened its security relationship with the United States over the last year and remains concerned over Beijing's assertiveness in the South China Sea.
    Regional diplomatic sources say Chinese officials are particularly concerned at Singapore's hosting of increased deployments of U.S. P-8 Poseidon surveillance planes, which are equipped with various sensors to target China's expanding Hainan-based submarine fleet.
    Singapore has had a long-standing if low key military relationship with Taiwan despite having a strong diplomatic relationship with Beijing.
    The island-state has also traditionally served as a venue for unofficial diplomacy between Beijing and Taipei.
    While state-of-the-art, the Singaporean vehicles are not considered particularly sensitive military equipment.
    While Hong Kong runs a separate government system from mainland China under the terms of its handover from Britain to China in 1997, including customs, Beijing has the right to get involved in issues related to foreign affairs and defence.
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