China to US: Stop selling arms to Taiwan

China has called on the US to stop holding talks with military officials from Taiwan and to refrain from selling weapons to the self-ruled island.

"China will act firmly to defend its own sovereignty and security interests," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular press briefing on Friday, when asked to comment on the US State Department's recent approval of arms sales to Taiwan.

He reiterated that Beijing has always been firmly opposed to US arms sales to Taiwan.

"China is calling on the United States to stop selling arms to Taiwan and military contacts between Washington and Taipei," Wenbin said.

The development came in the wake of the approval of a $1.65 trillion spending package in US Congress last week, which includes $2 billion in the financing of military sales for Taiwan for the current fiscal year.

Wang said China urges the US to abide by the "one-China" principle and the three Sino-American joint communiques and earnestly act on the commitment made by the US leadership of not supporting "Taiwan independence."

Under the “One China” policy, nearly all countries across the globe recognize Beijing’s sovereignty over Taiwan, including the US, which has no formal diplomatic ties with the territory but continues to support its anti-China stance and supply it with massive amounts of armaments.

Relations between the US and China have grown tense in recent years, with the world's two largest economies clashing over a range of issues including trade, territorial disputes and human rights, as well as the origins of the novel coronavirus.

MG