China urges US to halt fresh arms sales to Taiwan

ISTANBUL

China on Friday reiterated its opposition to any new US arms sales to Taiwan, emphasizing the one-China principle.

“The US should strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, particularly the August 17 communique, and stop arms sales to Taiwan,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing.

Guo was responding to reports that a fresh arms package for Taiwan, including advanced interceptor missiles, could be approved following US President Donald Trump’s upcoming trip to China.

He urged Washington to take “concrete actions to safeguard the stable development of China-US relations as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.”

Trump is scheduled to make his first trip to China during his second term at the White House. His administration approved record arms sales to Taiwan worth over $11 billion in December, prompting sanctions by China on US defense firms and executives.

China considers Taiwan a “breakaway province,” while Taipei has maintained de facto independence since 1949. The potential new arms sales come as Taiwan’s opposition lawmakers, who dominate the legislature, push back a special defense bill planning nearly $40 billion in spending over the next eight years.