China urges U.S. to revoke arms sale to Taiwan

BEIJING, June 20 (Xinhua) -- China strongly condemns and firmly opposes U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and urges the United States to revoke its wrong decision, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of drones and missiles to Taiwan for an estimated 360 million U.S. dollars, according to the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

In response to a related query, spokesperson Lin Jian told a press briefing that the United States, ignoring China's consistent opposition and solemn representations, has once again agreed to sell arms to China's Taiwan region. He said that this seriously violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques -- particularly the August 17 Communique -- as well as China's sovereignty and security interests, seriously undermines China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a serious, erroneous signal to the separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence."

"China strongly condemns and firmly opposes this," Lin stressed.

The United States has sold arms to Taiwan time after time, supporting and encouraging Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities to adhere stubbornly to the separatist position of "Taiwan independence" and disturb the one-China principle, Lin noted.

This once again proves that the separatist activities of the "Taiwan independence" forces and the conniving support of external forces led by the United States are the biggest threats to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and they bring the greatest damage to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, he said.

It should be noted that the DPP is attempting to seek "independence" by force, and the United States is determined to assist this "independence" by force. Any such actions will only backfire and lead to disastrous consequences, ultimately ending in failure, Lin said.

He stressed that the Taiwan question is at the heart of China's core interests, and it is the most important red line that cannot be crossed in China-U.S. relations. No one should underestimate China's firm will and strong ability to oppose "Taiwan independence" and defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

China urges the United States to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, revoke its erroneous decision to sell arms to Taiwan, stop following the dangerous trend of arming Taiwan, stop conniving and supporting the erroneous actions of "Taiwan independence" forces, and stop undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Lin said.

China will take resolute and forceful measures to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, he said.