A woman walks past a Taiwanese national flag at Maritime Plaza in Keelung on October 22, 2024. China’s military began a live fire exercise near Taiwan, maintaining pressure on the self-ruled island after staging large-scale drills and President Xi Jinping called for troops to prepare for war. —Photo by I-Hwa Cheng/Agence France-Presse
MANILA, Philippines — Beijing on Sunday condemned the United States’ announcement of $571.3-million military assistance and arms sales to Taiwan, accusing Washington of “playing with fire” by supporting Taipei’s “independence” through increased military aid.
US President Joe Biden approved the $571.3 million defense support for Taiwan on Friday, according to the White House.
The State Department also authorized the potential sale of $265-million worth of military equipment to the island nation.
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In response, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry issued a statement on Sunday describing the US decision as a “severe breach of the US leaders’ commitment of not supporting ‘Taiwan independence,’ and sends a gravely wrong signal to ‘Taiwan independence separatist forces.’”
‘Serious protests’
Beijing, which lodged “serious protests” with the United States, said the move violated the one-China principle, the three China-US joint communiqués—including the August 17 Communiqué of 1982—and China’s “sovereignty and security interests.”
“The Taiwan question is at the core of China’s core interests, and the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-US relations. To aid ‘Taiwan independence’ by arming Taiwan is just like playing with fire and will get the US burned,” the statement read.
China urged the United States to “immediately stop arming” Taiwan and refrain from actions that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.