China calls on US to stop selling weapons to Taiwan

China’s regular military drills have resulted in Taipei increasing its defense budget by nearly 15% for 2023

August 30, 2022

Biden administration plans to sell arms worth $1.1 billion to Taiwan

Amid China’s military drills near the Taiwanese border as a response to Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit, the Biden administration plans to ask Congress to approve a USD 1.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan that includes hundreds of missiles for fighter jets and anti-ship systems.

According to a report by Sputnik News Agency, the Biden administration will ask Congress to approve the sale of at least 60 anti-ship Harpoon missiles, 100 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, and a surveillance radar contract extension.

Reacting to the Biden administration’s decision, the Chinese embassy in Washington said that the US must immediately stop selling weapons to the island.

“The US side needs to immediately stop arms sales to and military contact with Taiwan, stop creating factors that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait, and follow through on the US government statement of not supporting ‘Taiwan independence,'” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said, as per Sputnik News Agency.

The spokesperson also said that US arms sales to Taiwan gravely violate the one-China principle and Beijing will continue to take resolute and strong measures to firmly defend Chinese sovereignty and security interests.

China and Taiwan engaged in indirect confrontation ever since US Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island nation this month. This resulted in Taipei increasing its defence budget by nearly 15% for 2023. Taiwan had proposed a budget of USD 17.3 billion in defence for 2023 weeks after China started its military drill around the self-ruled island country post the visit of the US House Speaker.

Earlier on Sunday, in a first amid the military standoff in the Taiwan Strait, the Biden administration sent its warships to the island nation. According to the statement released by the US 7th Fleet, the guided-missile cruisers — USS Antietam and USS Chancellorsville — were conducting a routine transit. The cruisers transited through a corridor in the Strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal State, it added.

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