Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Remarks on the US Approval of Arms Sales Worth US$385 Million to China's Taiwan Region

Q: On November 30, the US Department of Defense announced that the Department of State has approved US$385 million worth of arms sales to Taiwan. What's China's comment?

A: The US arms sales to China's Taiwan region seriously violate the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, especially the August 17 Communiqué of 1982 and China's sovereignty and security interests. The sales are a severe breach of the international law, send a gravely wrong signal to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, and are detrimental to China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The decision to sell arms to Taiwan is simply inconsistent with US leaders' commitment of not supporting "Taiwan independence." China deplores and firmly opposes it and has lodged serious protests to the US. 

We call on the US to immediately stop arming Taiwan and stop abetting and supporting "Taiwan independence" separatist forces in seeking "Taiwan independence" by building up its military. China will take strong and resolute countermeasures to firmly defend national sovereignty, security and