China has identified Taiwan as a ‘red line’ issue and denounced the latest US military assistance to the island. Beijing maintains its claim over Taiwan, which it regards as a part of its territory, and deems any interference as a gross violation of its sovereignty.
The warning comes amidst the release of a white paper by China’s National Defense in the New Era. According to a source, the white paper indicated that “resolving the Taiwan question and achieving China’s full reunification is a shared aspiration of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation. It is also an unstoppable trend of the times.”
Meanwhile, the US Department of Defense has announced $2.2 billion arms sale to Taiwan, igniting Beijing’s disapproval. Washington insists that this military assistance is consistent with their obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act, which requires the US to help defend Taiwan.
In response, China has urged the US to withdraw the sale to avoid further damaging Sino-US relations. Wu Qian, the spokesperson of China’s Ministry of National Defense, emphasized, “We will never let any person, any organization, any political party, at any time or in any form, split any piece of Chinese territory from China.”
The Taiwan issue forms a significant part of the tensions between China and the US. These tensions have manifested in areas including trade and technology disputes, human rights criticisms, and now, arms sales to Taiwan. Amid such strained relations, both countries continue to stress their respective stances and interests.
Last modified: December 22, 2024
