BEIJING/TAIPEI (Reuters) -China's foreign ministry has dismissed safety concerns raised by Taiwan about its hosting of the APEC summit next year, but said the island's participation rests on its compliance with established practice and the "one China" principle.

Both sides of the Taiwan Strait are girding for would be the most difficult seaborne invasion since World War II.

Taiwan's representative to last weekend's APEC summit rebuffed Chinese protests on Monday about his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi while there, saying that it was "very normal" for him to meet leaders attending.

President Lai Ching-te rejected Beijing’s latest push to get the self-governing island to come under Chinese control under a system of autonomy it uses for Hong Kong and Macau.

Lt. Gen. Sun Li-fang details Taiwan's defense plans against Chinese gray-zone operations and potential naval blockade threats from the PLA.

China "absolutely will not" rule out using force over Taiwan, a government spokesperson said on Wednesday, striking a much tougher tone than a series of articles in state media this week that pledged benign rule if the island comes over to Beijing.

China has designated Oct. 25 as the Commemoration Day of Taiwan’s Restoration, a new national observance intended to reinforce Beijing’s sovereignty claim over the self-ruled island. The measure was approved Friday in Beijing during a session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress,

It says Taiwan's participation rests on its compliance with established practice and the “one China” principle. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has voiced concerns about Chinese moves in areas including around Taiwan during a meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun. China says unification with Taiwan is inevitable and that the US should be cautious around the Taiwan issue.