The military countermeasures China has taken around the Taiwan region are aimed at separatist activities seeking “Taiwan independence” and foreign interference, which are fully justified and beyond reproach, Lieutenant General Jing Jianfeng, deputy chief of staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, said in response to repeated false accusations made by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Jing made the remarks on Saturday at a briefing for media held by the Chinese delegation at the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.