Foreign and Military Affairs

China reaffirms opposition to US arms sales to Taiwan

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-09 05:54

BEIJING: China on Saturday again expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the US arms sales to Taiwan, urging the US to respect China's core interests and withdraw related arms sales plan.

"The US arms sales to Taiwan infringe upon China's security interest as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and interfere China's internal affairs," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu in a statement.

Jiang made the comments in response to a reporter's question on US government approval for Raytheon Company to sell 1.1 billion US dollars of Patriot antimissile system to Taiwan.

"We have raised solemn representations to the US side," said Jiang. "We urge the US to stop arms sales to Taiwan to avoid undermining China-US cooperation."

Jiang said, "We urge the US to clearly recognize the severe consequences of arms sales to Taiwan, reject the cold war mentality, and adhere to the three Sino-US joint communiques, especially the principles established in the Joint Communique on August 17, 1982."

The "August 17 communique" stated that the US would not seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan, and intended to gradually reduce arms sales.

"We also persuade the Raytheon Company to stop pushing or participating in arms sales to Taiwan, and refrain from doing anything that harms China's sovereignty and security interest," Jiang said.