China said Wednesday it is firmly opposed to and strongly condemns the proposed U.S. arms sales to Taiwan worth 95 million U.S. dollars, urging the U.S. to withdraw its plan.
"The U.S. arms sales to the Taiwan region of China seriously violate the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, especially the August 17 Communique, gravely undermine China's sovereignty and security interests, and severely harm China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a regular press briefing.
According to reports, the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency on Tuesday said that the U.S. State Department has approved the sale, which would include training, planning, fielding, deployment, operation, maintenance and sustainment of the Patriot Air Defense System and associated equipment.
"The U.S. should abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, revoke the arms sales plan and stop arms sales to and military ties with Taiwan," Zhao said, adding that China will continue to take firm and strong measures to resolutely defend its sovereignty and security interests.
