Beijing-Sana
China has renewed its demand for the United States to stop military contacts and arms sales to Taiwan if it is to avoid further damage to relations between Beijing and Washington and undermine peace and stability in Taiwan.
"The US arms sales to Taiwan are considered a blatant interference in China's internal affairs, undermining its sovereignty and security interests, and a serious violation of the principle," Xinhua news agency quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian as saying in a press statement, commenting on Washington's plans to sell three weapons systems worth $ 1.8 billion to Taiwan. The one China and the joint communiques and agreements signed by Beijing and Washington in the 1970s that established diplomatic relations between the two governments.
He added that this step sends the wrong signal to the separatist forces that call for Taiwan’s secession from China and seriously harms Sino-US relations as well as peace and stability in Taiwan.
Zhao called on the US side to recognize the harmful nature of arms sales to Taiwan, adhere to the one-China principle and stop arms sales and military contacts with that island, stressing that China will make the necessary and legitimate response in accordance with developments in the situation.
Yesterday, the US State Department announced approval to sell Taiwan 135 surface-to-air missiles.