China’s Defense Minister Li Sangfu warned on Tuesday that we are “playing with fire” on the Taiwan issue in a clear message to the US during a security conference in Russia, according to CNN.

Speaking at the Moscow Conference on International Security, Li said efforts to “use Taiwan to contain China” would “definitely end in failure,” according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

Li’s comments echoed earlier statements by Chinese officials, but the venue from which he spoke is significant and symbolic given Moscow’s ongoing incursion into Ukraine.

China’s ruling Communist Party claims Taiwan’s self-governing republic and has vowed to control it, by force if necessary. He has repeatedly criticized US relations with the island, with which Washington has no formal diplomatic ties, including the sale of US arms to Taipei.

Li, who was sanctioned by the US in 2018 over purchases of Russian arms, attended the Moscow security conference as he began a six-day trip to Russia and its close ally Belarus.

Senior officials from more than 20 “friendly states” including Belarus, Iran and Myanmar will also attend the forum, Russian state media reported earlier, citing Moscow’s defense ministry, which organizes the annual event. No Western countries were invited, state media reported.
The visit is Lee’s second to Russia since assuming the role of Defense Chief earlier this year. It comes as Beijing has continued to strengthen its security ties with Moscow, despite the ongoing offensive in Ukraine.

In a recorded message to the same Moscow conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the US of adding “fuel to the fire” with its support for Ukraine.