Beijing lodges ‘serious protest’ with US after latest arms pledge for Taiwan

Beijing said on Sunday it had lodged a protest with Washington against its latest military assistance and arms sale to Taiwan, and vowed to take all necessary measures.

The remarks in a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry came after the White House on Friday [US time] announced military assistance worth US$571.3 million to Taiwan, along with an additional US$295 million in potential arms sales approved by the State Department.

“The decision is a severe breach of the US leaders’ commitment of not supporting ‘Taiwan independence’, and sends a gravely wrong signal to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces,” read the statement attributed to the ministry spokesperson.

“China strongly deplores and firmly opposes it and lodged serious protests at once with the US,” it said.

The statement also urged the United States to “immediately stop arming Taiwan and stop the dangerous moves that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait”, while vowing to “firmly defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity”.

Beijing views Taiwan as part of China to be reunited, by force if necessary. The US, like most countries, does not recognise the self-governed island as an independent state, but is opposed to any attempt to take it by force and is legally committed to arming it for defence.