BEIJING, Oct, 29 -- The US should walk with China toward the same goal instead of continuing provocations in sea and air spaces around China, said Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of China, at a regular MND press conference in Beijing on October 29, 2020.
He was asked to comment on the so-called “October Surprise” reported by the media that the US is considering using MQ-9 Reaper drones to attack relevant islands in the South China Sea in case of unfavorable situation for Trump’s election campaign.
Snr. Col. Wu first refuted those media reports,saying that the US Defense Secretary Mark Esper has already made clarification through military and diplomatic channels that the relevant reports are not consistent with facts, and the US side has no intention of creating a military crisis against China.
Wu asked the US side to act properly in its remarks. “Maintaining communication between the two militaries is very important under the current circumstances. We urge the US side to keep their words, take effective measures to stop military provocations in the sea and air spaces around China, and stop any actions that harm China’s core interests and major concerns,” said Wu.
He hoped that the two sides could walk toward the same goal, strengthen communication, control risks and deepen mutual trust to prevent misjudgment.
“Should anyone dare to stir up a conflict on the sea, the Chinese side will fight back resolutely to safeguard its national sovereignty and security interests,” Wu stressed in the end.