China says $619 million US arms sale to Taiwan ‘raises tensions’ in the region

Chinese officials on Thursday said they oppose the recent U.S. approval of $619 million in military sales to Taiwan, saying it violates Beijing’s claims to the self-ruled island and raises tensions in the region. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in a press briefing that China “will continue to take resolute and strong measures to firmly safeguard its sovereignty and security interests.” 

China’s claim to the democratically, self-ruled island is its most fundamental foreign policy priority and is a source of deep tensions with the U.S. in a relationship that has grown extremely adversarial. Most recently, this has included a Chinese spy balloon violating U.S. airspace, Washington warning Beijing off potential weapons assistance to Russia for use against Ukraine and renewed focus on China’s obstruction into investigations surrounding the origins of COVID-19.

The U.S. views the defense of Taiwan and the preservation of its democratic government as a top national security interest. 

And while the U.S. acknowledges the Chinese position that it views Taiwan as an inalienable part of the mainland, U.S. governments have never committed to treating the island-country as under the rule of Beijing. Still, the U.S. has held off on formally recognizing Taipei as an independent government – part of its “one-China policy.” 

Through this policy, the U.S. is committed to helping Taiwan with its self-defense, and that has taken on more urgency as U.S. intelligence officials have warned that Beijing is increasingly positioning itself to take over the island by force, even as it attempts to subsume it through economic and diplomatic coercion.

On Wednesday, the Biden administration approved $619 million in potential arms sales to Taiwan that is said to include hundreds of missiles for F-16 fighter jets and related equipment and that comes on top of $5 billion in proposed arms sales since January 2021. 

A State Department official said the potential arms sales are consistent with U.S. law, which includes the Taiwan Relations Act, and in line with the “longstanding One-China policy.”

“The United States makes available to Taiwan defense articles and services necessary to enable it to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability,” the official said.

“The United States’ support to Taiwan and steps Taiwan takes to enhance its self-defense capabilities contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and within the region.”