China resolutely oppose the recent $500 million military deal between the United States and Taiwan, calling the move “a complete mistake” and “very dangerous”, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense said on Wednesday.
The new deal, approved by the US State Department on April 15, is currently being reviewed by Congress. It consists of training programs for Taiwan F-16 pilots and maintenance crews in the US. The State Department said the sale is meant to improve the defensive capabilities of Taiwan.
Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesman for China’s defense ministry, said in an online statement China resolutely opposes any country selling arms to or having military interactions with Taiwan.
“The actions by the US have seriously violated the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiques,” he said. “It interferes with China’s internal affairs, undermining its sovereignty and security interests.”
Wu said the recent move has “poisoned Sino-US military relations and seriously damaged cross-Straits relations and the peace and security in the region.” He called the move “a complete mistake and very dangerous”.
The Taiwan question is related to China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its core interests. It is the most sensitive issue in Sino-US ties, he said.
Wu said Taiwan’s current administration is relying on foreign forces and the US is using Taiwan to pressure China. Both strategies are doomed to fail, he added. China demands the US immediately cancel related arms sales to Taiwan and stop all military interaction with the island to avoid further damage to Sino-US relations, bilateral ties and the peace and security of the Taiwan Straits.
“The Chinese military has the resolve, confidence and capability to foil any form of foreign interference and Taiwan secession efforts,” he said. “It will resolutely protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and maintain the peace and security in the region.”
