As the US approves $1.1 billion in military sales to Taiwan, China issues a threat of “counter-measures

Following the Biden administration’s approval of more than $1.1 billion in military sales to Taiwan, China has warned the United States that it will take “countermeasures.”

Liu Pengyu, the spokeswoman for the Chinese embassy, stated on Saturday that China was “firmly opposed” to the sales because they “seriously undermine China-US ties and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” and he urged Washington to “immediately rescind” them.

After the Biden administration formally informed Congress of the proposed sales on Friday, which include up to 60 anti-ship missiles and up to 100 air-to-air missiles, Liu made his remarks on Twitter.

The State Department described the “rapid provision” of such weapons as being “important for Taiwan’s security” and said the shipments are in keeping with a long-standing US policy of doing so.

However, China has charged that the US is meddling in what it perceives as its domestic affairs.
Despite never having been in control of Taiwan, China’s Communist Party considers it as part of its territory and has long promised to “reunite” the island with the Chinese mainland, using force if necessary.

Liu tweeted, “By providing armaments to Taiwan, the US meddles in China’s internal affairs and threatens China’s sovereignty and security interests.”

It seriously jeopardizes China-US ties as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and sends the incorrect signals to separatist groups pushing for Taiwan independence, according to Liu.

He said China will “resolutely take lawful and necessary countermeasures” and urged the US to “respect its obligations to the one-China concept” as he concluded his series of tweets. Taiwan is “an inalienable component of the Chinese territory,” he said.

Since Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House, visited Taiwan last month, US-China tensions have increased.
Pelosi had received a warning from China not to travel, and in response, the country ordered days’ worth of military exercises surrounding the island after she had left.

The most recent military deliveries were “very welcomed,” according to Taiwan, which also commended the US for “continuing to fulfill its security pledges to Taiwan.”

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a statement on Saturday that it was “very determined to defend itself in response to China’s recent repeated military provocations and unilateral alterations in the status quo and generating crises.”

“This batch of arms sales includes a significant number of different types of missiles that are required to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense, which fully demonstrates that the US government attaches great importance to Taiwan’s defense needs, assisting our country to obtain the necessary defense equipment in a timely manner and to improve our national defense capabilities.”

The military of Taiwan on Thursday shot down a drone that was hovering above one of its island outposts close off the coast of China, underscoring the heightened tensions.

A day earlier, Taiwan said it had sent a warning to drones flying over three of the islands it controls off the coast of the Chinese port city of Xiamen.

On August 2, 2022, American politician Nancy Pelosi paid a visit to Taiwan (officially the Republic of China), when she was the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Pelosi was accompanied on the visit by a group of five House members from the Democratic Party.