Mainland China lashes out at US$2 billion American arms package for Taiwan
Beijing says the deal, which includes an advanced missile defence system, undermines ‘China’s sovereignty and security interests’
The Pentagon said on Friday that it had approved the sale of nearly US$2 billion, including almost US$1.2 billion in purchases of three National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems. It will be the first time the advanced defensive weapon, which has been used on the battlefield in Ukraine, has been supplied to Taiwan.
The deal also includes radar systems worth an estimated US$828 million.
Beijing “has lodged serious protests with the US”, the foreign ministry said on Saturday, pledging “resolute countermeasures and to take all measures necessary to firmly defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity”.
It added: “The sales seriously undermine China’s sovereignty and security interests, harm China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and send a gravely wrong message to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.”
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China and has never renounced the use of force to reunite it with the mainland. The United States, in common with most countries, does not officially recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the island by force and is committed to providing it with arms to defend itself.
