China’s embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu said on Saturday that China “resolutely opposes” a sale that “seriously jeopardizes Sino-US relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait” and urged Washington to “immediately withdraw it.”
The State Department said the sale was in line with a long-standing U.S. policy of providing defensive weapons to the island, and that the “prompt delivery” of such weapons was “essential to Taiwan’s security.”
But China has accused the United States of interfering in its internal affairs.
The Chinese Communist Party claims the autonomous democratic state of Taiwan as part of its territory, even though it has never ruled Taiwan, and uses force to declare the island as mainland China if necessary. It has long promised to “reunify”.
“It sends a false signal to the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces and seriously endangers China-US relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” it said.
He ended his series of tweets by calling on the United States to “respect its commitment to the one-China principle” and saying that Taiwan is “an integral part of China’s territory.” “
Tensions between the United States and China have increased since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan last month.
China responded by warning Pelosi not to travel and ordering several days of military exercises around the island after Pelosi left.
Taiwan on Saturday said it “greatly welcomes” the latest arms sale and thanked Washington for “continuing to deliver on its security commitments to Taiwan.”
“In response to China’s recent and continuous military provocations, unilateral changes in the status quo, and the creation of crises, Taiwan is very determined to defend itself,” Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on the 25th. ‘ said.
“This series of arms sales includes a large number of different types of missiles necessary to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense, and the US government attaches great importance to Taiwan’s defense needs, and our country “It perfectly demonstrates that we are helping China acquire the right equipment, timely defense, and strengthen our national defense capabilities,” he said.
A day earlier, Taiwan said it had issued a warning to drones flying over three islands off the Chinese port city of Xiamen.
Source: www.cnn.com
