US announces $1.1bn arms package for Taiwan as tensions soar with China

BEIJING – China has threatened the US with "counter-measures" after the Biden administration approved more than $1.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan.

Chinese embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu said Saturday China was "firmly opposed" to the sales, which "severely jeopardize China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," and called on Washington to "immediately revoke" them.

Taking to Twitter, Liu wrote, "Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. The United States interferes in China's internal affairs and undermines China's sovereignty and security interests by selling arms to the Taiwan region. It runs counter to international law and basic principles in international relations, and violates the one-China principle and provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, especially the August 17 Communique.

"It sends wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, and severely jeopardizes China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China is firmly opposed to this. China urges the US side to honor its commitment, earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, stop arms sales to and military interactions with Taiwan, and immediately revoke relevant arms sales to Taiwan, lest it should cause more damages to China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

"China will resolutely take legitimate and necessary counter-measures in light of the development of the situation."

Liu's comments came after the Biden administration formally notified Congress of the proposed sales, which include up to 60 anti-ship missiles and up to 100 air-to-air missiles.

The State Department said the sales are in line with a longstanding US policy of providing defensive weapons to the island and described the "swift provision" of such arms as being "essential for Taiwan's security."