China Angrily Demands US Cancel 5th Proposed Arms Package To Taiwan
Last Friday the Biden administration unveiled the fifth US arms sale to Taiwan, with the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency detailing $108 million for the proposed package, which is reportedly for parts and repairs on tanks and combat vehicles, with a portion of the funds set aside for US government and “contractor technical and logistical support”.
“The proposed sale will contribute to the sustainment of the recipient’s vehicles, small arms, combat weapon systems, and logistical support items, enhancing its ability to meet current and future threats,” the Pentagon had announced.
In response, China’s state-run Global Times quickly complained that “The figure of $108 million is an unreasonably high price for just spare parts and intangible technical assistance, and it is obvious that the US arms firms are again leeching on Taiwan for its money.”
And to be expected, Beijing is demanding that the United States immediately cancel the new $108 million deal, warning that the Chinese PLA military is ready to “take all necessary measures” to safeguard its national sovereignty – a now very familiar refrain surrounding the Taiwan issue.
According to the Monday foreign ministry statement by spokesman Wang Wenbin:
The US arms sales to China’s Taiwan region seriously violate the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-US joint communiqués, especially the August 17 Communiqué of 1982. The sales gravely undermine China’s sovereignty and security interests, and severely harm China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns this. We have made serious demarches to the US side over this.
He called on Washington to immediately “stop arms sales to and military contact with Taiwan and stop creating factors that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait.”
China on crisis with US over Taiwan:
– Demand US to immediately cancel $108M arms sale to Taiwan
– Chinese military to take all necessary measures to safeguard national sovereignty
– Responsibility for undermining peace and stability in Taiwan Strait to be borne by US pic.twitter.com/OnbtbQYJTt— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) July 18, 2022
Further the spokesman underscored “China will continue to take resolute and strong measures to firmly defend its sovereignty and security interests.”
Meanwhile, Chinese state media and officials are also denouncing a visit to the democratic-run island of Trump’s defense chief, former US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Monday. GT writes, “Chinese mainland experts said despite having been out of the US government for about two years, Esper, who has close ties to the US military-industrial complex, will push for the arms package that Republicans want to see on the island of Taiwan.”
Former US Defense Secretary Mark Esper is making a four-day visit to #Taiwan. https://t.co/K6rQxxiAY0 pic.twitter.com/6WARRMEOAM
— Radio Taiwan International (@RadioTaiwan_Eng) July 18, 2022
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has heightened fears in Washington that Taiwan could be the next global geopolitical hotspot where US interests are challenged through a “shock” invasion of an allied population.
