Beijing urges Washington to fully understand the seriousness of selling a large batch of US fighter jets to Taiwan and abandon the plan, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Monday
BEIJING (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th August, 2020) Beijing urges Washington to fully understand the seriousness of selling a large batch of US fighter jets to Taiwan and abandon the plan, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Monday.
The US Department of Defense said on Friday that it had approved a $62 billion military sale of 90 F-16 fighter jets, 66 of which were for Taiwan. The main contractor for the transaction is Lockheed Martin. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, in turn, announced that Beijing would impose sanctions against the main contractor of the transaction, Lockheed Martin. Beijing has also repeatedly protested the supply of weapons by the US to the Chinese island.
"China has always resolutely opposed the sale of US weapons to Taiwan, this violates the principle of 'One China' policy and the provisions of the three US-China joint communiques, jeopardizing China's sovereignty and security interests," the spokesman said.
Zhao noted that in August 2019, when the United States announced its readiness to sell the 66 fighters to Taiwan, China clearly expressed its firm position.
"China's determination to defend its sovereignty and security interests is resolute, we call on the United States to fully realize the seriousness of the arms sales to Taiwan, strictly adhere to the 'One China' policy and the provisions of the three US-China joint communiques, stop arms sales to Taiwan and any contacts between the military of the United States and Taiwan to avoid serious damage to US-China relations, as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," the diplomat added.
Official relations between the central Chinese authorities and Taiwan stopped in 1949 when the Kuomintang government, led by Chiang Kai-shek, fled to Taipei after being defeated by the Chinese Communist Party and established the Republic of China on the island. Informal contacts resumed in the 1980s. Beijing does not recognize Taiwanese independence and claims the island is part of China. Taiwan similarly does not recognize the central government in Beijing.
The United States, along with many other countries, does not recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation and officially sticks to the "One China" policy. Nevertheless, Washington has maintained informal relations with the island nation after severing diplomatic ties with it in 1979.
