China firmly opposes US arms sales to Taiwan, defense spokesperson says

08.06.2024

BEIJING (Xinhua) — A Chinese defense spokesman urged the United States to cancel its plan to sell weapons to China’s Taiwan region and stop arming the region with weapons of any kind.

Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to a media question about the US Department of Defense’s recent approval of around $300 million in arms sales to Taiwan.

The US arms sales to China’s Taiwan region have seriously violated the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, especially the August 17 communiqué, Zhang said.

The move has seriously undermined China’s sovereignty and security, and poses a grave threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China strongly disagrees with this and firmly opposes US arms sales to China’s Taiwan region, he added.

Zhang said the Taiwan issue is the first red line that should not be crossed in China-U.S. relations, and supporting separatist forces inclined toward “Taiwan independence” will not only aggravate tensions in the region, but which will lead Taiwan into a dangerous situation and ultimately harm the United States itself.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has intensified military training and increased combat readiness to resolutely safeguard China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, Zhang said.

Photo: Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, speaks at a press briefing in Beijing, China. (PHOTO / MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE, CHINA)

International

2024-06-08T05:48:00

2024-06-08T05:48:00