BEIJING, Oct. 17 -- "The U.S. playing 'Taiwan card' is no different from playing with fire, and arming Taiwan is an extremely dangerous 'gambling' act and will surely pay a heavy price for it," said Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China's defense ministry, at a regular press briefing on Friday.
It is reported that the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have passed the new National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which involves multiple negative provisions related to China, including explicit appropriation of one billion USD for so-called "Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative", strengthening defense cooperation between the U.S. and Taiwan region and incorporating Taiwan region into the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercise.
After being asked to comment on such acts by the U.S. side, Senior Colonel Zhang pointed that the negative provisions related to China in the new U.S. act blatantly interfere in China's internal affairs, undermine China's sovereignty, security and development interests, and disrupt global peace and stability.
"China is firmly opposed to such acts. The Taiwan question is the first red line in China-U.S. relations that must not be crossed," stressed the spokesperson.
He then urged the U.S. side to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, truly deliver on its promise of not supporting "Taiwan independence", refrain from sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, stop military interactions in any forms with China's Taiwan region, and avoid any damage to the relations between the two countries and two militaries and the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.