US urged to revoke Taiwan arms sales plan

BEIJING: A Chinese military spokesperson voiced firm opposition to United States arms sales to Taiwan, urging the US to immediately stop military contact with and arms sales to the island.

Ren Guoqiang, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of National Defence, made the remarks in response to the US’ approval of a plan to sell Harpoon missile systems worth US$2.37bil (RM9.85bil) to Taiwan.

The US government has once again approved arms sales to Taiwan, which severely violates the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, Ren said.

The US arms sales to Taiwan seriously interfere in China’s internal affairs, undermine China’s sovereignty and security interests, damage relations between the two countries and two militaries, and endanger peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, the spokesperson said.

China has lodged solemn representations with the US, he said. The Taiwan question matters to China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and is vital to China’s core interests, which allows no external interference, Ren said.

Ren also urged the US to handle Taiwan-related issues prudently to avoid dire consequences to the state-to-state and military-to-military relations between China and the US.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has the resolve, the confidence, and the ability to defeat foreign interference and separatist attempts for “Taiwan independence” in any form, Ren said. — Xinhua