China warns sovereignty violation if US supplies Taipei with weapons

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
30 Aug 2022 09:34
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Chinese spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in the US warns that any weapons supply from Washington to Taipei will increase tensions between the two superpowers.

China will continue to take decisive and forceful action to vehemently protect its security and sovereignty interests

The spokesperson of the Chinese embassy to the US, Liu Pengyu, responded to the White House declaration asking the US Congress to approve a $1.1 billion weapons deal to Taiwan by saying that the US, through its military contact with Taipei and its decision to send arms, is violating the One China principle and thus should refrain from approving the deal.

"The US side needs to immediately stop arms sales to and military contact with Taiwan, stop creating factors that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait, and follow through on the US government statement of not supporting ‘Taiwan independence,'" Liu Pengyu said.

The official further stated that China will continue to take decisive and forceful action to vehemently protect its security and sovereignty interests.

Politico previously reported that the White House is examining a package of weaponry for Taiwan that includes 60 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles ($355 million), 100 air-to-air AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles ($85.6 million), as well as an extension of the deal for radars for $655.4 million.

China carried out its largest military drills around the self-governed island after a visit this month by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, which raised global alarms and pushed Beijing to resort to the use of military security to bring the island under control. The significance of Pelosi's visit is that it came at a time of great tensions between the US and China over Taiwan - marking the first visit made by a US House Speaker to the Island since 1997.