Cancel arms sale, China tells U.S.

BEIJING — China on Tuesday demanded the U.S. cancel a $330 million sale of military equipment to Taiwan, warning of “severe damage” to bilateral relations and mutual cooperation if Washington fails to comply.

Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters at a regular briefing that the sale violated international law and the “basic norms governing international relations.”

It was unclear what aspect of international law Geng was referring to.

“We urge the U.S. side to … immediately cancel this arms sale plan, and stop military contact with Taiwan so as to avoid severe damage to China-U.S. ties, peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and bilateral cooperation in major fields,” Geng said.

Washington has no official relations with Taiwan’s democratically elected government but is obliged by U.S. law to see that it has the means to defend itself.

President Donald Trump’s administration said Monday that it had approved the sale of spare parts and related support for Taiwan’s U.S.-made F-16 fighters and other military aircraft.

China as a principle opposes all U.S. military sales to Taiwan, which split with the mainland in 1949 but which Beijing continues to claim as part of its territory and threatens to invade to bring under its control.