China criticises latest US sales to Taiwan

The Chinese military has criticised the US decision to sell approximately $180 million of military equipment to Taiwan and has urged Washington to break military ties with the island nation, which Beijing refuses to recognise as a sovereign state.

Speaking at a press conference on 24 May, Senior Col Wu Qian, Director General of the Information Office at the MND, said: ‘The US act is a grave violation of the One China principle and the three China-US joint communiques. It seriously interferes in China’s internal affairs.’

‘The new-round US arms sales to Taiwan sends out seriously wrong signals to the Democratic Progressive Party authorities and Taiwan independence secessionist forces, seriously undermines China’s sovereignty and security, the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, as well as the China-US military relations’, Qian warned.

The comments reflect the increasingly bellicose stance adopted by Beijing towards Taiwan and the US in recent weeks. However, Beijing frequently protests against US arms sales to Taiwan: in July 2019, for instance, China criticised a $2.22 billion package for M1A2 Abrams tanks and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles.