BEIJNG, Oct. 31 -- A Chinese defense spokesperson on Thursday urged the US to fully recognize the severe consequences of arming Taiwan which would surely backfire, and not to go further down the wrong path.
Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to a media query on the US Department of Defense's recent approval of arms sales worth of 1.988 billion US dollars to Taiwan at a regular press briefing.
"The US arms sales to China's Taiwan region severely violate the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués. This move seriously undermines China's sovereignty and security interests, disrupts China-US relations, undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends very wrong signals to the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces. We strongly condemn and firmly oppose it and have lodged solemn representations to the US side," said Snr. Col. Zhang.
Having reneged on its own promise, the US is intensifying efforts to arm Taiwan, emboldening the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and pushing Taiwan closer towards the abyss of military conflict. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities of Taiwan purchased weapons to solicit the US support, allowing the US to exploit the hard-earned money of the people in Taiwan to feed its military-industrial complex, said the spokesperson, adding that records have proven time and again that the "Taiwan independence" separatists and foreign interference are the source of chaos that undermine the status quo, stoke crisis, and disrupt regional stability.
"The Taiwan question is at the very core of China's core interests, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations. China urges the US to fully recognize the severe consequences of arming Taiwan which would surely backfire, and not to go further down the wrong path," Snr. Col. Zhang stressed.
"Several pieces of US weapons will not narrow the cross-strait military power gap, still less stop the historical trend of China's reunification. The Chinese PLA will continuously improve its combat readiness, comprehensively enhance the military capability to fight and win, and firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," said the spokesperson.