China Condemns $11 Billion US Arms Deal To Taiwan As 'Gross Violation' Of One-China Principle, Warns Against Crossing 'First Red Line'
Lin Jian, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, condemned the United States on Thursday for approving an $11.15 billion arms package to Taiwan, calling it a "gross violation" of the one-China principle and of agreements between Washington and Beijing.
“The U.S. blatantly announced its plan to sell massive advanced weapons to China’s Taiwan region,” Lin stated on X.
“This move grossly violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, infringes on China’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.”
Largest Arms Sale Escalates Regional Tensions
The State Department approved the record $11.15 billion arms sale to Taiwan on Thursday, one of the largest packages ever offered, as the self-governed democratic island faces growing military pressure from mainland China.
This adds a new point of contention to the U.S.-China feud, which gained fresh momentum in December following the signing of the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act by President Donald Trump, an action Beijing also criticized as a violation of the one-China principle.
See Also: Trump Says ‘No Excuse’ For Brown University’s Poor Camera Coverage As Shooting Suspect Found Dead
Taiwan Question Remains Core Issue
The Chinese Embassy in Washington echoed the condemnation, warning that the sale “sends a gravely wrong signal to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.”
The Chinese Embassy stated that the Chinese government has stressed that Beijing's determination and ability to protect its territorial integrity should not be underestimated.
Both Lin and the Chinese Embassy in Washington stated that Taiwan, home to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE:TSM), the world’s largest dedicated chip foundry, is “the core of China’s core interests” and “the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations.”
The Chinese Embassy even noted Taiwan as "the most important and sensitive issue" in China‑U.S. relations in August, underscoring its geopolitical significance.
Regional tensions between the U.S. and China escalated further last week as U.S. B-52 bombers joined Japanese fighter jets in Sea of Japan patrols in response to Chinese-Russian military drills.
Read Next:
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.