The U.S. Must Stop Arming Taiwan, China Warns
Chinese FM spokesperson Lin Jian, 2024. X/ @globaltimesnews
September 30, 2024 Hour: 7:26 am
President Biden awarded US$567 million in defense articles and services to Taiwan
On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian urged the United States to “stop arming Taiwan” after U.S. President Joe Biden approved US$567 million in aid to enhance the island’s defensive capabilities at a time of heightened tensions between Taipei and Beijing.
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“The greatest threat to peace and stability, and the greatest harm to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, are separatist activities and the collusion and support provided to them by external forces led by the United States,” he stated.
Lin asserted that Taiwan’s independence is “a dead end” and that the U.S. insistence on “supporting independence by force” will cause Washington to “end up suffering the consequences of its own actions.”
“No matter how many weapons the U.S. provides to Taiwan, it will not shake our firm resolve to oppose Taiwan independence and defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said, demanding that Washington “abide by the ‘One China’ principle.”
According to a White House statement, Biden delegated authority to Secretary of State Antony Blinken to grant up to US$567 million in defense articles and services from the Department of Defense, as well as military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan. The statement did not provide further details on the types of articles or services included in the aid.
In April, Biden signed a law increasing foreign aid to Taiwan and other Pacific allies, which included US$2 billion in foreign military financing and US$1.9 billion in Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), a measure allowing Washington to transfer material directly from its own stockpiles to the island.
The Taiwanese government, currently led by pro-independence leader William Lai, has expressed frustration on several occasions over delays in the delivery of U.S. weapons. Taiwan has been self-governed since the end of the civil war in 1949, although China claims sovereignty over the island, which it considers a rebel province and has not ruled out using force for its reunification.
The Taiwan issue is one of the main points of friction between Beijing and Washington, as the U.S. is Taipei’s main arms supplier and could potentially defend the island in case of conflict.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE
