China warns US will 'never compromise' on Taiwan

China has reiterated Beijing's steadfastness regarding Taiwan, telling the United States to stop providing military aid ahead of a key election on the self-ruled island.

Wrapping up two days of military talks in Washington on Tuesday, the Chinese side said Beijing will "not make any concession or compromise on the Taiwan question and demand that the US side honor the one-China principle, relevant commitments, stop arming Taiwan, and not support Taiwan independence."

This comes just days ahead of Chinese Taipei's crucial general elections, which could push the wayward island politically closer to or farther from Beijing.

China sees the island as part of its own territory, but the US-backed secessionists on it see themselves as independent from the Chinese mainland.

"China expressed its willingness to develop healthy and stable military-to-military relations with the United States on the basis of equality and respect," China’s Defense Ministry added.

This is the first military talk between the two sides since 2021, after China’s Defense Ministry canceled military talks with the US to protest a provocative 2022 visit to Taipei by then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, vowing to launch "targeted military actions" in response to her visit.

SS