Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated on Thursday that China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the US plan to sell massive advanced weapons to Taiwan, valued at up to $11 billion, one of the largest such sales. Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua called the sale a flagrant interference in China's internal affairs, violating the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués. Beijing urges Washington to immediately cease its policy of arming Taiwan.
The US State Department has approved an $11 billion arms sale package to Taiwan, including billions in HIMARS rocket systems, howitzer equipment, drones, and software. This landmark deal has drawn strong condemnation from Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a Thursday press conference that the move grossly violates the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, infringes on China's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a gravely wrong signal to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.
Guo noted that separatist forces on the island are attempting to advance their independence agenda and resist reunification through military buildup, squandering taxpayers' money on weapons and even risking turning Taiwan into a "powder keg." Such actions will not reverse the inevitable failure of "Taiwan independence" and will only accelerate the Taiwan Strait toward military conflict. For the US, assisting the independence agenda by arming Taiwan will backfire, and using Taiwan to contain China will never succeed. "The Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations," the spokesperson added.
Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua echoed these sentiments, stating that the sale is a flagrant interference in China's internal affairs and gravely violates the one-China principle and the provisions of the three joint communiqués, particularly the August 17, 1982, agreement in which the US pledged to gradually reduce arms sales to Taiwan. "[The decision] severely undermines China's sovereignty and security interests and sends erroneous signals to separatist forces," he said. Chen urged the United States to immediately cease its policy of arming Taiwan, stop condoning and supporting separatist forces advocating Taiwan independence, and exercise utmost caution in handling the Taiwan issue.
Beijing warned that no one should underestimate the firm will and strong capability of the Chinese government and people in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. China will take resolute and strong measures to defend its sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.
