China opposes US arm sales to Taiwan

China is firmly opposed to the United States' new arm sales to Taiwan, and has lodged solemn representations with the US side.

"This move by the US side has blatantly ignored China's solemn position and grossly interferes in China's internal affairs once again," said Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense on Thursday.

It gravely violated the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, severely jeopardised China's sovereignty and security interests, and seriously undermined the relations between both countries and militaries as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, he said, noting that the Chinese side is strongly dissatisfied.

His remarks came after the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency has announced a new round of arms sales to Taiwan on Tuesday, with a total value of some $428 million, mostly covering aircraft spares.

Tan said, in recent years, while making serious commitments to China on the Taiwan question, the US has been hollowing out the one-China principle by continually selling arms to Taiwan, promoting the introduction of negative Taiwan-related bills, and sending senior officials to Taiwan for activities, which has further aggravated tensions across the Taiwan Straits.

The spokesman criticised that the US' contradictory actions have fully exposed its hypocrisy, which has seriously damaged its political credibility and international credibility.

"The Taiwan question is at the very core of China's interests, the root of the political foundation of China-US relations, and the first uncrossable red line in the bilateral ties," he stressed, underlining that "Taiwan independence" is incompatible with peace and stability across the Straits.

He said that resolving the Taiwan question is Chinese people's own affair and China's internal affair, and no external force has the right to interfere, urging the US side to practically respect China's core interests and major concerns.

If the US repeatedly reneges on its promises, and connives and supports "Taiwan independence", it will inevitably escalate tensions across the Taiwan Straits and eventually set itself on fire, Tan warned.

"The PLA will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and resolutely defeat any form of external interference and separatist attempts for 'Taiwan independence'," he said.