The Chinese army will do everything in its power to retain Taiwan

BEIJING: China's defense minister warned Thursday that the army would do "all that is necessary" to prevent any attempt to "separate" Taiwan from the mainland, a few days after a demonstration for independence on Island and an American naval operation.

Beijing considers that the autonomous and democratic island is part of its territory and that it is waiting for its reunification, even though both parties are governed separately since the end of a civil war on the mainland in 1949.

"It is extremely dangerous to repeatedly challenge China's limitations on this issue," Defense Minister Wei Fenghe told the Xiangshan Forum, a dialogue on regional security held in Beijing.

"If someone tries to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese army will do all that is necessary and will inevitably take resolute action," he added.

Tens of thousands of Taiwanese independence activists took to the streets of Taipei on Saturday to participate in a large rally that was a reprimand for Beijing and a challenge to the besieged government of the island.

On Monday, US warships conducted "freedom of navigation" exercises in the Taiwan Strait, a 180-km-wide stretch of water separating the Chinese mainland from Taiwan, the second maneuver of this type in three month.

USS Curtis Wilbur and the USS Antietam proceeded with a routine transit to demonstrate the US's commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, "said US Colonel Rob Manning earlier this week.

Several Chinese warships observed both ships during transit, followed at a safe distance, US defense officials told CNN.

For its part, Beijing recently conducted a series of military maneuvers, including a live fire exercise in the Taiwan Strait in April, declaring its willingness to confront Taiwan's "independence forces".

Washington remains Taipei's most powerful unofficial ally and main arms supplier, despite the transfer of diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979.

The Trump administration has sought to tighten ties with the island by announcing last month its intention to sell $ 330 million worth of spare parts for several aircraft, including the F-16 fighter and the C-130 freighter.