China urges US to immediately withdraw Taiwan arms sales

15:52, July 09, 2019

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  China to sanction US firms involved in arms sale to Taiwan

  Beijing will impose sanction on US enterprises involved in a $2.22 billion arms sale to Taiwan, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman announced Friday.File photo: VCGThe spokesman’s announcement confirmed previous reports saying that China will punish US enterprises for their participation in a possible arms deal to the island.Slamming the sale as a serous violation of international law and norms, Geng Shuang, spokesman of Chinese Foreign Ministry, said the move is meant to defend national interests.The US State Department on Monday notified Congress that it had approved a Taiwan arms sale plan, including Abrams tanks and Stinger missiles, sparking strong protests from China.Chinese officials from authorities in charge of foreign affairs, defense and Taiwan affairs had urged the US to drop the sale immediately. The US lawmakers have to determine whether to authorize the sale within 60 days.

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  China to cut business ties with US firms involved in Taiwan arms sale

  The Chinese government and enterprises will cut business ties with U.S. firms involved in selling weapons to Taiwan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Monday.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang(Photo: fmprc.gov.cn)His comments came after the U.S. State Department on July 8 announced a plan to sell 2.22 billion U.S. dollars worth of weapons to Taiwan. China subsequently announced that it would impose sanctions on U.S. enterprises involved in the sale, which Geng called a serious violation of international law, the basic norms of international relations, the one-China principle and the three joint communiques between China and the United States.The sale undermined Chinas sovereignty and national security, he continued."In order to safeguard national interests, China will impose sanctions on U.S. companies involved in the arms sales to Taiwan," the spokesman said.

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  US firms involved in arms sales to Taiwan will pay a heavy price

  (Photo: CGTN)The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on July 12 that China will impose sanctions on U.S. companies involved in arms sales to Taiwan. The announcement came after the United States earlier announced a plan to sell weapons worth 2.22 billion U.S. dollars to Taiwan. The sanctions are a necessary and decisive action taken by a sovereign country to defend its core national interests.Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. The arms sales undertaken by American companies are not simply business deals; the sales undermined Chinas sovereignty and national security. Chinas decision to impose sanctions on U.S. companies involved in the sales is reasonable and legitimate. The Chinese government and enterprises will never do business in any form with entities that harm Chinas national interests.Does the United States really want to help protect Taiwans security when it sells weapons to the region? Sadly not.In the U.S, it is no secret that the government’s interest is deeply tied to that of groups of arms dealers. In selling outdated weapons to Taiwan at high prices, the U.S. not only tried to use the Taiwan question as leverage against China, but also treated Taiwan as a cash cow to fulfill the interests of its arms dealers.Since the current administration came to power, the United States has even taken a step further, placing arms dealers directly at the negotiating table with weapons buyers. In April 2018, for example, the U.S. State Department allowed American companies to provide sensitive submarine technologies to the Taiwan authorities in the form of commercial sales, which is equivalent to authorizing U.S. military enterprises to negotiate directly with Taiwan.U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are by no means simple commercial activities. Chinas national sovereignty is inviolable and its internal affairs shall not be interfered with. The approval of arms sales to Taiwan will not only harm peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, but wi...