BEIJING: The United States should immediately cease its “dangerous act” of arming China’s Taiwan region, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday when commenting on the U.S. approval of a package of arms sales worth around $11 billion to the Taiwan region.

The U.S. blatantly announced its plan to sell massive advanced weapons to Taiwan, which grossly violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, Guo said at a regular news briefing.

The U.S. move infringes on China’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, undermines peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and sends a gravely wrong signal to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces, Guo said.

“China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it,” he said.

The Taiwan secessionists on the island attempt to advance their “independence” agenda and resist reunification through military buildup, squander the taxpayers’ money to purchase weapons, and even risk turning Taiwan into a “powder keg,” he said.

Guo said such moves will not reverse the inevitable failure of “Taiwan independence,” and will only push the Taiwan Strait into the danger of military conflict at a faster pace. For the United States, assisting the “independence” agenda by arming Taiwan will only backfire, and using Taiwan to contain China will never succeed, he added.

Noting that the Taiwan question is at the core of China’s core interests, and is the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations, Guo said no one shall underestimate the firm will and strong capability of the Chinese government and the Chinese people in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

China urges the United States to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, act on its leaders’ serious commitments, and immediately stop the dangerous act of arming Taiwan, he said.

China will take resolute and strong measures to defend its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, the spokesperson added.

China urges U.S. to immediately stop arming China’s Taiwan region

China’s State Council Taiwan Affairs Office on Thursday urged the United States to immediately stop arming China’s Taiwan region.

Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the office, made the remarks while commenting on the U.S.’s latest announcement of a package of arms sales to China’s Taiwan region worth up to $11 billion.

Chen said that the Taiwan question is at the core of China’s core interests and the red line in China-U.S. relations that must not be crossed, and that the U.S. announcement of the massive arms sale to Taiwan constitutes a flagrant interference in China’s internal affairs.

The action has violated the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, severely undermining China’s sovereignty and security interests and sending a grave and wrong signal to secessionists in Taiwan.

Chen urged the U.S. side to stop condoning and supporting secessionists seeking “Taiwan independence” and to adhere to the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques.

Chen noted that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities’ persistent attempts to look for U.S. support for their separatist agenda and seek “Taiwan independence” by force, at the cost of turning Taiwan into a “powder keg” and treating people in Taiwan as their “cannon fodder,” will only bring catastrophe to Taiwan compatriots. Such acts fully expose their vicious role as “peace-breakers” and “warmongers.”

Chen called on all people in Taiwan to recognize the DPP authorities’ vicious nature. He also warned the DPP authorities that China’s national reunification is unstoppable and that if any “Taiwan independence” separatist forces dare to cross the red line, they will surely face a decisive countermeasure.