Defense Ministry criticizes US arms sale to Taiwan

The Chinese military resolutely opposes the United States approving a possible $100 million sale of equipment and services to Taiwan, a spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense said on Wednesday.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Monday that the US Congress had greenlit the deal following State Department's approval. The arms package aims to upgrade the island's Patriot air defense system and maintain its credible defensive capability, the agency said.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesman of the ministry, said the arms deal brazenly interferes with China's domestic affairs and undermines its sovereignty and security interests.

The action has also damaged China-US military-to-military relations and bilateral ties, as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, he said.

"There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory," Wu said, adding that China strongly urges the US to immediately halt such arms deal and stop military interaction with the island.

The US should stop sending the wrong signal to Taiwan separatist forces, and avoid causing serious repercussions in China-US military-to-military relations, bilateral ties and peace and stability in the region, he added.

"Taiwan's future lies in its reunification. The security of Taiwan relies on the joint efforts by compatriots from both sides of the Straits under the one-China principle, and definitely not from weapons sold by the US," Wu said.

Wu said the People's Liberation Army will take every measure necessary to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and resolutely thwart any foreign inference and ploy by Taiwan separatists, thus continue to facilitate the process of the country's reunification.