China strongly opposes US sales of drones and missiles to the island of Taiwan: FM spokesperson

The US has once again sold weapons to the island of Taiwan, without taking into account China’s repeated opposition and serious protests, which seriously undermine China’s sovereignty and security interests, China-US relations, and peace and stability in the Strait seriously harm Taiwan, sending a seriously wrong signal to Taiwan’s independence separatist forces, China’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday in response to a military sale approved by the US State Department to the island of Taiwan.

The Biden administration on Tuesday approved a new $360 million arms sale to the island of Taiwan, sending the island hundreds of armed drones, missile equipment and related support materials, the State Department said in a statement.

The arms sales include the Switchblade 300 anti-personnel and anti-armor loitering missile system and related equipment, as well as ALTIUS 600M-V unmanned aerial vehicles and related equipment.

At a regular press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that China strongly condemns and strongly opposes the US selling weapons to the island of Taiwan again, despite China’s continued opposition and solemn statements, who seriously violated the One China Principle and the One China Principle. three joint communiqués between China and the US, especially the communiqué of August 17, 1982. The spokesperson added that this move seriously infringes on China’s sovereignty and security interests, China-US relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and sends a serious injustice message to Taiwan’s separatist independence forces.

The US has repeatedly sold weapons to the island of Taiwan, thereby encouraging and supporting the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in their stubborn adherence to the “Taiwan independence” position and their provocations against the One China principle , Lin said, noting that this once again shows that the separatist moves for “Taiwan independence” and the complicity and support for such moves from US-led external forces pose the greatest threat to peace and stability between the Taiwan Strait and a source of damage to the real status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

The DPP authorities’ attempt to pursue “Taiwan independence” through military build-up, and the US determination to support “Taiwan independence” with weapons, will inevitably backfire, leading to self-destructive and ending in failure, Lin said.

The Taiwan issue is at the core of China’s core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations. No one should underestimate China’s firm determination and strong ability to oppose Taiwan’s independence and defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, Lin added.

China urges the US to sincerely adhere to the one-China principle and the three joint communiqués between China and the US, to withdraw its wrong decision on arms sales to the island, the dangerous trend of arming of Taiwan, stop supporting and encouraging Taiwan’s unlawful acts and independence separatist forces, and stop endangering the peace and stability among Strasbourg citizens, Lin said.