According to reports, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency of the US Department of Defense stated on October 21 that the US State Department approved the sale of weapons and equipment to Taiwan with a total value of more than 1.8 billion US dollars. On October 22, the Ministry of National Defense, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded one after another.
Q: According to reports, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency of the US Department of Defense stated on October 21 that the US State Department approved the sale of weapons and equipment to Taiwan with a total value of over US$1.8 billion. What is your comment on this?
Answer: The US arms sales to Taiwan seriously violate the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiqués, especially the provisions of the “August 17” communiqué. It seriously interferes in China’s internal affairs, seriously undermines China’s sovereignty and security interests, and seriously undermines both China and the United States. China firmly opposes the relationship between the two armies and the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait.
The Taiwan issue concerns China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as China’s core interests. China strongly urges the US to immediately cancel its arms sales plan to Taiwan, stop US-Taiwan military ties, and handle Taiwan-related issues cautiously, so as not to cause serious consequences to the relations between the two militaries and the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait. If the U.S. ignores the basic norms of international relations, breaks promises, and acts recklessly, China will resolutely fight back.
[The US government approved US$1.8 billion arms sales to Taiwan, and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council responded]
[Global Network Report] On October 22, 2020, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, answered reporters’ questions.
The reporter asked: The US government just announced its approval to sell weapons to Taiwan worth about US$1.8 billion. What’s your comment?
Zhu Fenglian said in this regard that we have always firmly opposed the US arms sales to China’s Taiwan region. The US should strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiqués, especially the provisions of the “August 17” communiqué, and stop all arms sales to Taiwan. The DPP authorities’ purchase of arms from the United States in an attempt to “use force to resist reunification” and to pursue “independence” provocations will only severely undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and bring serious disasters to the people of Taiwan. We hereby urge the DPP authorities to stop all forms of association with the United States and not to go further and further on the path of “Taiwan independence.”
Zhao Lijian emphasized that US arms sales to Taiwan seriously violated the “One China” principle and the three Sino-US Joint Communiqués, especially the provisions of the “817 Communiqué”. They seriously interfered in China’s internal affairs, seriously undermined China’s sovereignty and security interests, and issued a warning to the separatist forces in Taiwan. Seriously wrong signals have seriously damaged Sino-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China firmly opposes this. We urge the United States to fully recognize the serious harm of the issue of US arms sales to Taiwan, abide by the “One China” principle and the provisions of the three Sino-US joint communiqués, stop arms sales to Taiwan and US-Taiwan military ties, and withdraw related US-Taiwan arms sales. The arms sales plan is to avoid further damage to Sino-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China will make a proper and necessary response in accordance with the development of the situation.
[Taiwan expressed its unwillingness to engage in an arms race with mainland China Zhao Lijian: Then we should do what we say]
[Global Network Report] On October 22, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian hosted a regular press conference. The following is a partial record.
U.S. Topic News Agency reporter: Regarding the issue of the US arms sales to Taiwan, Taiwan has expressed its unwillingness to engage in an arms race with mainland China, but only hopes to establish reliable defense capabilities. What’s your response?
Zhao Lijian: If they don’t want to import weapons and equipment, they should do what they say, instead of saying one thing and doing one thing!
Related report: How will China react to the US arms sales to Taiwan again? Expert: I believe they will fight back, but the Chinese side decides the time
[Global Times-Global Net Reporter Guo Yuandan] At the regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the afternoon of the 22nd, in response to the latest three US arms sales plans to Taiwan, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zhao Lijian said that China will make due and necessary responses in accordance with the development of the situation. . Relevant experts told the Global Times that they believe that China will definitely make a counterattack, but the choice of counterattack timing will not follow the rhythm of the US, but China will decide on its own.
The US State Department approved three plans for possible arms sales to Taiwan. The National Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of this on the 21st, and carried out the procedure of “notifying Congress”. According to reports, the case is expected to come into effect in one month.
In this regard, Zhao Lijian reiterated that the US arms sales to Taiwan seriously violated the “One China” principle and the three Sino-US joint communiqués, especially the provisions of the “817 Communiqué”, seriously interfering in China’s internal affairs, seriously undermining China’s sovereignty and security interests, and promoting “Taiwan independence.” The separatist forces sent serious wrong signals, which severely damaged Sino-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Zhao Lijian once again emphasized that “China will make a proper and necessary response in accordance with the development of the situation.”
Regarding the US listing of six Chinese media agencies in the US as “foreign missions,” Zhao Lijian also mentioned in his response that “China will make a legitimate and necessary response.”
Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on the 22nd that it is less than two weeks before the U.S. election. According to my observation, all politicians in the election are emotionally unstable and excited, so they are dealing with relations with the U.S. Particular attention should be paid to calm down and avoid being driven by the other party’s extreme measures.
“Faced with the US government’s constant promulgation of China-related extreme policies during the election period, it is necessary to maintain its strength. It is mainly me and choose the right time to introduce countermeasures.
Avoid being passively drawn into the current fierce U.S. election process. I believe that China will definitely make a counterattack, but the choice of counterattack timing will not be made by the U.S., but by China’s independent judgment and decision. The political intent to play China as a card in the election is difficult to succeed.”
Li Haidong emphasized that China hopes to eventually establish a stable, coordinated, and cooperative mutually beneficial and win-win relationship with the United States.
However, China’s definition of Sino-US relations is different from the US’s definition of Sino-US relations. The United States focuses on the geopolitical competition in Sino-US relations and recognizes that the relations between the two countries are “strategic rivals.” Disruptors, this is also a major difference in how the two sides handle Sino-US relations.
According to reports, the weapons involved in the three arms sales cases with a total value of US$1.811 billion are: the M142 high-mobility rocket launcher system, the AGM-84H extended-range outside-to-ground attack missile, and the MS-110 reconnaissance pod. These weapons were produced by Lockheed Martin and Boeing.
Previously, China had repeatedly imposed sanctions on US companies participating in arms sales to Taiwan. For example, after the US State Department approved the provision of US$620 million “Patriot 3 missiles” to Taiwan in July, China decided to take necessary measures against this time. Lockheed Martin, the main contractor of arms sales, imposed sanctions.
In addition, in July 2019, the United States announced a US$2.22 billion arms sales program to Taiwan. In order to safeguard national interests, China imposed sanctions on US companies participating in the arms sales to Taiwan. So will China impose sanctions on Boeing this time?
Li Haidong believes that Boeing and Lockheed Martin are different. Lockheed Martin is more closely related to the US arms sales to Taiwan. Boeing is relatively closer to the civil aircraft market. Whether or not to sanction and how to sanction is needed.
Looking at the pertinence and effectiveness of the sanctions, he suggested that even if sanctions are required, they should be implemented after the results of the US general election are clear, so as to ensure that the sanctions have the greatest effect and maintain flexibility in handling US relations.
