China on Thursday urged the US to immediately cancel its planned arms sale to Taiwan and sever military contact with the island, and stop undermining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin made the comments at a press conference in Beijing, as the US State Department has reportedly approved the possible USD 500 million sale to Taiwan of infrared search and track systems for F-16 fighter jets, as well as other equipment.
“The US arms sales to China’s Taiwan region seriously violate the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-US joint communiqu?©s, especially the August 17 Communiqu?© of 1982,” Wang said.
“Such sales seriously violate international law and basic norms governing international relations, undermine China’s sovereignty and security interests, harm peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and send gravely wrong signals to ‘Taiwan independence.’ China deplores and firmly opposes them,” said Wang.
The spokesman stressed that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, pointing out that the Taiwan question is entirely China’s internal affair that brooks no foreign interference.
“We urge the US to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-US joint communiques, immediately cancel the planned arms sale to Taiwan, stop arms sales to and military contact with Taiwan, stop following the dangerous trajectory of arming Taiwan, and stop undermining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” Wang said.
He also warned that China would take resolute and strong measures to safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity.
China and Taiwan separated after a civil war in 1949, but Beijing still sees the island as its territory. The US ended formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979, but has remained its arms supplier.
Source: Kuwait News Agency
