China's Defense Ministry Accuses US of Escalating Situation Around Taiwan

BEIJING (Sputnik) - The United States has escalated the situation around Taiwan by repeatedly violating the one-China principle, selling arms to the island and sending its officials there, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Tan Kefei said on Thursday.

Earlier in the week, the US approved a $330 million sale of aircraft parts and equipment to Taiwan following the island's request for extra equipment for its F-16, C-130 fighter jets and other planes. 

"In recent years, on the one hand, the US has made serious commitments to China on the Taiwan question, while, on the other hand, was eroding the one-China principle, continuing arms sales to Taiwan, introducing negative bills related to Taiwan and sending senior officials to visit Taiwan, further aggravating tensions across the Taiwan Straits," Tan said in a statement, as quoted by the defense ministry.

The spokesman urged the US to respect China's key interests and concerns in the region; otherwise, it will escalate tensions between the two countries and "eventually draw fire against the US itself."

Earlier in the day, the Chinese Foreign Ministry condemned the US State Department's decision to approve the possible sale of several hundred million dollars worth of aircraft parts and equipment to Taiwan, adding that it would send a wrong signal to the "Taiwan independence separatist forces."

US-China relations worsened after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in early August. Beijing condemned Pelosi's trip, which it regarded as a gesture of support for separatism, and launched large-scale military exercises in the vicinity of Taiwan.