26th May 2023 – (Beijing) China has expressed strong opposition to the U.S.’ provision of weapons to Taiwan, which it says is a serious violation of the provisions of the three Sino-US Joint Communiques. A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, made the comments at a routine press conference on May 26th.
The U.S. is said to have begun implementing a US$500 million arms sale to Taiwan, with the first shipment of FIM-92 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles arriving on 24th May. China has strongly opposed this move, saying that it interferes in China’s internal affairs and undermines China’s sovereignty and security interests. It also undermines peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Mao Ning urged the U.S. to abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three Sino-US Joint Communiques, to stop military contacts with Taiwan and arming Taiwan, and to stop creating tensions in the Taiwan Strait. China has warned the Taiwan authorities not to seek “independence” by taking advantage of foreign powers, as this would only lead to failure.
The U.S. has long maintained a policy of strategic ambiguity when it comes to Taiwan, not explicitly recognising it as an independent country but also not ruling out the possibility of military intervention in the event of an attack by China. China, on the other hand, considers Taiwan to be an inseparable part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control if necessary.
China has accused the U.S. of having blatant intentions to “destroy Taiwan Semiconductor”and accelerate the arming of Taiwan to contain China. Mao Ning highlighted that such intentions are fully exposed and that the Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots, will never accept this.
China has called on the U.S. to stop creating factors that heighten tensions across the Strait and to stop supporting separatist forces‘ attempt to seek “Taiwan independence” by force. China has emphasised that it will closely follow the developments of the situation and resolutely safeguard its nation’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.
The U.S. provision of weapons to Taiwan has long been a point of contention between the U.S. and China. In recent years, the U.S. has increased its military support to Taiwan in an effort to counter China’s influence in the region.
China has repeatedly warned against such moves, saying that they undermine the one-China principle and interfere in China’s internal affairs. China has also accused the U.S. of arming Taiwan to contain China, which it views as a threat to its national security.