On Sunday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry firmly opposed and lodged serious representations with the United States over its latest military assistance and arms sales to China’s Taiwan region.
The White House announced on Saturday military assistance worth $571.3 million to the Taiwan region, alongside the U.S. Department of Defense’s approval of $295 million in arms sales to the island.
A spokesperson for the ministry stated that the United States’ approval for military assistance and arms sales to China’s Taiwan region seriously violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, especially the August 17 Communique of 1982. The spokesperson emphasized that this decision undermines China’s sovereignty and security interests.
The decision is a severe breach of the U.S. leaders’ commitment to not support “Taiwan independence,” the spokesperson added, sending a gravely wrong signal to “Taiwan secessionist” forces.
“To aid ‘Taiwan independence’ by arming Taiwan is like playing with fire and will get the U.S. burned,” the spokesperson warned, stressing that “using the Taiwan question to contain China is doomed to fail.” The Taiwan question is at the core of China’s core interests and the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-U.S. relations, the spokesperson highlighted.
“China urges the U.S. to immediately stop arming Taiwan and halt dangerous moves that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. We will take all necessary measures to firmly defend national sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity,” the spokesperson said.
On the same day, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council responded to the issue. Zhu Fenglian stated that “Taiwan secessionist” activities and external interference are the biggest threats to peace across the Taiwan Strait.
“We urge the U.S. side to immediately stop arming Taiwan and handle the Taiwan question with extra prudence,” Zhu said, warning the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities that “using force to seek independence is a dead end.”
(With input from Xinhua)
Reference(s):
China opposes new U.S. arms sales, military assistance to Taiwan
cgtn.com
