China strongly opposes US arms sales to Taiwan

World Today

FFChina’s ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai.

China’s ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai strongly opposed Taiwan arms sale plan, CCTV reported.

The U.S. State Department has approved arms sales to Taiwan worth a total of $1.42 billion. It is the first weapons sale to Taiwan since U.S. President Donald Trump took office.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the Trump administration had notified Congress of its intent to approve seven proposed deals.

Cui said sales to Taiwan and sanctions against Chinese companies and individuals will undermine confidence between the two countries.

There are forces who do not want to see the sound development of China-U.S. relations, the ambassador said.

Despite the United States’ position on not adhering to the one-China principle, China will take a strong stand against actions that undermine China-U.S. relations, and will prepare the necessary response, Cui added.

China will maintain the right direction of bilateral relations as a conducive way to the long-term interests of both countries, he added.

CBS News quoted anonymous US government officials as saying that the arms sales this time comprise seven items, including technical support for early warning radar, anti-radiation missiles, torpedoes and components for SM-2 missiles.

Meanwhile, the National Defense Authorization Act for the fiscal year 2018 passed by the US Senate Armed Services Committee includes provisions for the re-establishment of regular ports of call by the U.S. Navy at Kaohsiung and other suitable ports in Taiwan.

On Thursday, the U.S. Treasury accused the Bank of Dandong, a local bank in China, for illicit dealings with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

“All these actions – sanctions against Chinese companies, especially arms sales to Taiwan, will certainly undermine the mutual confidence between the two sides and runs counter to the spirit of the Mar-a-Lago summit,” Cui said, referring to the first summit between Trump and President Xi Jinping in early April in Florida.

On the Korean Peninsula, Cui said China has been implementing U.N. Security Council resolutions fully and effectively. He said that if an entity or individual violates U.N. sanctions, China will conduct its own investigation and pursue the case in accordance with Chinese law.

“But we’re against such so-called long-arm jurisdiction by the U.S. side,” he said.

He hoped the U.S. will take actions to correct its approach in order to create favorable conditions for high-level exchange and various cooperation between the two countries in the future.

Xi and Trump are expected to meet again next week on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany.


The Embassy of China in the U.S. issues a statement on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan

China is firmly opposed to the U.S. arms sale to Taiwan. China’s stance is clear and firm.

The U.S. nevertheless made the wrong decision to sale arms to Taiwan in disregard of China’s strong representations. It seriously violates the principles of the three Joint Communiqués between China and the U.S., in particular, the August 17, 1982 U.S.-China Communiqué on Arms Sales to Taiwan, grossly interferes China’s domestic affairs, jeopardizes China’s sovereign and security interest and undermines China’s efforts to realize national unification.

The Chinese government and Chinese people have every right to be outraged. The Chinese side has lodged serious representation to the U.S. side, and reserves every right to take further action.

The wrong move of the U.S. side runs counter to the consensus reached by the two presidents in Mar-a-Lago and the positive development momentum of the China-U.S. relationship. It will harm the mutual trust and cooperation between China and the U.S.. We urge the U.S. to immediately revoke the wrong decision and stop the arms sale to Taiwan.

The Democratic Progressive Party authorities refused to recognize the 1992 Consensus and the core principle that the two sides of the Taiwan Straits belongs to one China, and take “dechinalize” measures in Taiwan.

The arms sale by the U.S. sends a very wrong signal to the “Taiwan independence” forces and harms the cross-Straits peace and stability. The U.S. has repeatedly said that it has profound interest in maintaining peace and stability across the Straits. However, its deeds contradicted its words.

Taiwan is a part of China. One China principle is a norm widely recognized by the international community.

Realizing national unification at an early date is a common wish of the Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots. It is the aspiration of the people and the general trend that will not be stopped by arms sale to Taiwan by some countries.

We are confident and capable to contain the separatist activities of the “Taiwan independence” forces and defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will never allow anyone to separate Taiwan from the country.