China slams US arms sales to Taiwan

Zhang Xiaogang, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense. [Photo/mod.gov.cn]

China strongly condemns and firmly opposes the United States' newly approved armed sale to Taiwan region, a defense spokesman said on Thursday.

Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks at a news conference in Beijing, noting that Chinese side has lodged solemn representations to the US side.

The US Department of Defense recently approved arms sales worth of $1.98 billion to Taiwan region, including the surface-to-air missile system and radar system.

Zhang said that the US arms sales severely violated the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques.

"This move seriously undermined China's sovereignty and security interests, seriously disrupted China-US relations, undermined peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sent very wrong signals to the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces," he said.

The US has reneged on its own promise and is intensifying efforts to arm Taiwan, emboldening the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and pushing Taiwan closer towards the abyss of military conflict, said the spokesman.

He criticized that the Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party authorities purchased weapons to solicit US support, allowing the US to exploit the hard-earned money of the people in Taiwan to feed its military-industrial complex.

"Records have proven time and again that the 'Taiwan independence' separatists and foreign interference are the source of chaos that undermine the status quo, cause cross-Strait crisis, and disrupt regional stability," Zhang stressed.

The official reiterated China's stance in the Taiwan question, which he said is at the very core of China's core interests, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations.

"China urges the US to fully recognize the severe consequences of arming Taiwan which would surely backfire, and not to go further down the wrong path," he said.

Several pieces of US weaponry will not close the cross-Strait military power gap, still less stop the historical trend of China's reunification," said Zhang.

"The People's Liberation Army will continuously improve its combat readiness, comprehensively enhance the military capability to fight and win, and firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity."