Chinese Foreign Ministry Urges US to Stop Arms Sales to Taiwan

BEIJING (Sputnik) - The United States should stop the sale of arms to Taiwan and cut military ties with the island, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Friday.

On Thursday, the US State Department authorized a sale of Volcano anti-tank systems worth $180 million to Taiwan.

"China urges the US to abide by the One-China principle and the provisions of the three joint China-US communiques, earnestly implement the promise of the US leaders not to support the 'Taiwan independence,' stop selling arms to Taiwan, cut US-Taiwan military ties and stop creating new tensions across the Taiwan Strait," Wang told a briefing.

He added that China was ready to take steps to resolutely defend its sovereignty and security interests.

The situation around Taiwan escalated after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island 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 the island. Despite this fact, several countries, including France, the US, Japan and others, have sent their delegations to the island since then, further increasing tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949. Beijing views the island as its province, while Taiwan — a territory with its own elected government — maintains that it is an autonomous country but stops short of declaring independence. Beijing opposes any official contacts of foreign states with Taipei and considers Chinese sovereignty over the island indisputable.