Beijing opposes US arms sale to Taiwan

A Chinese mainland spokeswoman on Thursday urged the United States to stop sending the wrong signal to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and endangering peace across the Taiwan Straits, after the American administration proposed arms sales to the island.

"We are firmly opposed to US arms sale to Taiwan," said Zhu Fenglian, a spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, urging the US to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, especially the August 17 Communique.

Zhu said: "We urge the US side to stop any arms sale to Taiwan, not to send wrong signals to separatist forces, not to endanger peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, and not to harm the well-being of compatriots on both sides of the Straits."

She added that the attempts of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan to rely on the US to seek independence and reject unification with the mainland by force will only "push the people of Taiwan into disaster".

The US State Department has notified Congress on Wednesday of a proposal to sell an estimated $750 million of weapons to Taiwan, including 40 M109A6 Medium Self-Propelled Howitzer systems and related equipment, according to a statement from the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

The DSCA said the proposal was made following a request from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US and the deal would support the island's defensive capability and "enhance its ability to meet current and future threats".