Official urges US to abandon planned military sale to Taiwan

A senior Chinese official urged Washington on Tuesday to revoke its estimated $2.2 billion arms sale to Taiwan, and cut military ties with Taiwan as well.

China is strongly dissatisfied by and firmly opposed to the sale and has lodged solemn representations with the US, said Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee.

Yang made the remarks when meeting with Russian guests in Beijing.

Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, Yang said, adding the sale is grave violation of the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-US joint communiqués, which damages China's sovereignty and security interests.

The Taiwan question is a purely Chinese internal affair in which no foreign interference is allowed, he emphasized, adding China's government and people are firmly determined to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at the daily press briefing on Tuesday no one should underestimate the strong will and firm determination by the Chinese government and people to safeguard the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to stand against foreign interference.

The US State Department has approved the possible sale, including M1A2T Abrams Tanks and Stinger missiles, according to statements the Department of Defense's Security Cooperation Agency issued on Monday.

If allowed to go through, it would be the largest military sale to Taiwan the US State Department has approved since current US President Donald Trump took office.