China opposes US-Taiwan military ties, arms sales to island

174
3
China opposes US-Taiwan military ties, arms sales to island

This undated file photo shows Wu Qian, a spokesman for China's Ministry of National Defense, speaking at a press conference in Beijing, China. PHOTO CHINA Beijing is strongly opposed to military contacts between the United States and Taiwan and US arms sales to the island, a Defense Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

On November 15, the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission released its latest annual report, which was released by the US Congress.

It suggested ways to strengthen Taiwan's military capabilities and bolster US deterrence capabilities with regard to Taiwan.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said that China strongly opposes US-Taiwan military ties and US arms sales to the island.

Wu also urged the US to be prepared to implement the commitments it made during the top leaders' talks in Indonesia and to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques so as not to undermine the common interests of both sides.

ALSO READ: China to sanction US defense firm CEOs over Taiwan arms sales.

In the meeting between President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden in Indonesia, Biden said that the US does not support Taiwan independence two Chinas or one Taiwan and it has no intention of having a conflict with China.

On Tuesday, the Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe, State Councilor and Defense Minister, urged the US to keep its word and honor its commitments, to implement the consensus reached by the two presidents, and adopt a rational and pragmatic China policy to address the causes of the crisis.

Wu also stressed that Taiwan is a sacred and inalienable part of Chinese territory.

PHOTO XINHUA Any move to strengthen US-Taiwan military contacts is a wrong act that interferes with China's internal affairs and violates US commitments, he said. Any attempt to contain the Chinese mainland by arming Taiwan is nothing but an unrealistic dream, and it is doomed to be on a collision course with a great wall of steel forged by the People's Liberation Army. ALSO READ: China strongly opposes US arms sales to Taiwan.

The spokesman said he was responding to a video showing an exchange by radio telephone between the Chinese guided missile destroyer CNS Xiamen and a Taiwan warship when they met near the island.

The officer on the destroyer told the Taiwan warship that any line unilaterally drawn by Taiwan is illegal and invalid, and it can't change the fact that Taiwan belongs to China or prevent the PLA from safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

READ MORE: China wants US to revoke the arms sales plan to Taiwan.

He warned Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities that the PLA will fight decisively if anyone wants to separate Taiwan from China.