Beijing Warns: U.S. Arms Sales to Taiwan Could Trigger Military Conflict
U.S. Arms Sales to Taiwan Bring the Region Closer to Military Conflict
The Chinese Embassy in Washington on Sunday warned that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan could bring the region closer to armed conflict, marking a new escalation in tensions between Beijing and Washington over the Taiwan issue. Embassy spokesperson Liu Bingyu told the Russian news agency “Novosti” that such measures would not prevent what he described as the “inevitable failure of Taiwan’s independence,” but could increase risks in the Taiwan Strait.
The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced that the total value of arms, equipment, and military services approved for sale to Taiwan by the United States exceeds $11 billion. These sales include Javelin systems, ALTIUS-700M and ALTIUS-600 drones, spare parts for AH-1W SuperCobra helicopters, HIMARS rocket launchers, M107A7 self-propelled guns, and TOW anti-tank missile systems.
The Chinese diplomat added that U.S. support for Taiwan through arms sales could “backfire,” stressing that such actions pose a threat to regional security and stability. China has repeatedly urged the United States to halt arms sales to Taiwan and to refrain from increasing tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that U.S. military cooperation with Taiwan, including arms sales, violates the “One China” principle and the three joint communiqués between China and the United States, harms China’s sovereignty and national security interests, and threatens stability in the Taiwan Strait.
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