China's defence chief Dong Jun has slammed "separatists" in Taiwan in an acerbic address at the Shangri-La Dialogue, hours before Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskiy was due to speak.
Wearing the uniform of an admiral in the People's Liberation Army Navy, Dong warned that prospects of a peaceful "reunification" of Taiwan were being eroded, and promised to ensure the island would never gain independence.
China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, over the strong objections of the government in Taipei, and last month staged war games around the island in anger at the inauguration of President Lai Ching-te who Beijing calls a "separatist".
"Those separatists recently made fanatical statements that show their betrayal of the Chinese nation and their ancestors. They will be nailed to the pillar of shame in history," Dong said.
After his speech, Dong was asked several questions by delegates but he remained focused on Taiwan and had to be prompted by the moderator to address other issues.
He accused foreign powers of interfering in "domestic issues", and "emboldening Taiwan separatists".
Dong added that while China was committed to peaceful reunification with Taiwan, the People's Liberation Army "will remain a strong force for upholding national reunification".
"We will take resolute actions to curb Taiwan independence and make sure such a plot never succeeds," he said. "We're very confident in our capability to deter Taiwan independence."
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said Dong's speech covered little new ground.
"Every year for three years, a new Chinese defence minister has come to Shangri-La," the official said. "And every year, they've given a speech at complete odds with the reality of the PLA's coercive activity across the region. This year was no different."
Dong's speech comes a day after US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told delegates the Indo-Pacific region remained a key focus for the United States, even as it grappled with security assistance for Ukraine and the war in Gaza.
"Let me be clear: The United States can be secure only if Asia is secure," Austin said. "That's why the United States has long maintained our presence in this region."
Dong and Austin met for more than an hour earlier in the conference.
In response to Austin's speech, Chinese Lieutenant General Jing Jianfeng said the US Indo-Pacific strategy was intended "to create division, provoke confrontation and undermine stability".
Some US officials say Beijing has become more emboldened in recent years, recently launching what it described as "punishment" drills around Taiwan, sending heavily armed warplanes and staging mock attacks after Lai Ching-te was inaugurated as Taiwan's president.
Zelenskiy, who arrived on Saturday, is scheduled to speak in a forum called "Reimagining Solutions for Global Peace and Regional Stability".
He is expected to try to drum up support for a Ukraine peace conference to be hosted by Switzerland in mid-June.
Sunday is the final day of the security summit organised by the London-based International Institute of Strategic Studies.