US angers China as it announces Taiwan will buy aircraft parts and other equipment worth US$425 million while Congress prepares to approve military aid
China says the deals are harmful to the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait and send the wrong signal to separatists
Less than a month after the leaders of the US and China met face to face, ties between the nations face fresh uncertainty as Washington prepares to sign off on new arms sales to Taipei.
The White House announced on Tuesday that spare aircraft parts worth more than US$425 million would be sold to Taiwan to support its fleet of F-16 fighters, C-130 transport planes and other US-supplied weapons systems.
This includes US$330 million worth of standard replacement parts and US$98 million worth of non-standard equipment.
“This proposed sale serves US national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to maintain a credible defensive capability,” the State Department said of the deal.
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Beijing responded on Thursday, saying the arms sales are harmful to the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait and send the wrong signal to separatists
“China expresses strong dissatisfaction with [the arms sale] and resolutely opposes it. We will take effective measures to firmly defend our sovereignty and security interests,” said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, who warned the US against “going further down a wrong and dangerous road”.
The Post
