China says the US move sends “a very wrong signal to separatist forces advocating for Taiwan independence.”
China has threatened “to provide legitimate and necessary responses” after the United States approved the possible sale of advanced weapons systems worth 1.8 billion dollars to Taiwan, an autonomous island that Beijing claims as its own.
China’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the United States, by approving the arms sale, was violating agreements signed in the 1970s that established diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The arms sale includes 135 air-to-ground missiles that Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said would develop their combat capabilities amid growing threats from China to annex the territory by force if necessary.
The US move is “sending a very wrong signal to separatist forces advocating for Taiwan independence and seriously damaging Sino-US relations,” Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said in a statement. periodic press conference.
Zhao said that China “would give a legitimate and necessary response depending [on] how the situation evolves ”.
Beijing has increased diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan, officially known as the ROC, since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen, who views the island as a de facto sovereign nation and not as part of politics. from “One China”. .
Chinese fighter jets and bombers have entered Taiwan’s air defense zone with increasing frequency in recent months, while propaganda films have shown simulated attacks on territories similar to Taiwan.
China has also launched a diplomatic offensive aimed at wooing Taiwan’s few official allies, and Taipei now has diplomatic relations with just 15 national governments globally.
Taiwanese National Defense Minister Yen De-fa welcomed the latest US arms sale on Thursday, saying that while Taiwan did not want to get involved in an arms race with China, it needed a credible military.
Speaking to reporters, Yen said the sales were to help Taiwan improve its defensive capabilities to cope with the “threat from the enemy and the new situation.”
“This includes credible combat capability and asymmetric warfare capabilities to strengthen our resolve to defend ourselves,” he added.
“This shows the importance the United States attaches to security in the Indo-Pacific and the Taiwan Strait. We will continue to consolidate our security partnership with the United States. “
The three previous US administrations were wary of big arms deals with Taipei for fear of provoking the ire of Beijing. But President Donald Trump has increased pressure on Beijing in the run-up to his November 3 re-election bid, in which he has taken a tough stance against China as a central issue.
In addition to seeking closer ties with Taiwan, the United States has tightened restrictions on Chinese media and imposed sanctions on Chinese officials, companies and government agencies for their actions in Tibet, Hong Kong and the South China Sea.
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