China urges U.S. to stop arms sales to Taiwan: spokesperson

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian speaks at a daily press conference, Oct. 22, 2020. (China's Foreign Ministry website)

BEIJING, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- China urges the United States to cease arms sales to and military contact with Taiwan, and cancel relevant arms sales plans, to avoid further damages to China-U.S. ties and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, a spokesperson with the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks when asked to comment on the United States' newly approved plans to sell three weapons systems worth 1.8 billion U.S. dollars to Taiwan.

Zhao said the U.S. arms sales to Taiwan seriously violate the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. Joint Communiques, especially the August 17 Communique, severely interfere in China's internal affairs and undermine China's sovereignty and security interests.

"The move has sent deeply wrong signals to the 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces, and jeopardized China-U.S. relations, as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," the spokesperson told a daily press briefing. "China firmly opposes it."

Zhao urged the U.S. side to fully recognize the highly detrimental nature of arms sales to Taiwan, abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. Joint Communiques, cease arms sales to Taiwan and military contact with the island, and withdraw relevant arms sales plans, to avoid further damages to China-U.S. ties and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

"China is going to make legitimate and necessary responses in accordance with the developments of situation," Zhao added.