(Reuters) – China promised on Sunday to take “resolute countermeasures” over an arms sale recently approved by Washington to Taiwan and complained about the United States for allowing the island’s president to pass through North American territory.
The US State Department has approved the sale of $385 million worth of spare parts and support for F-16 jets and radars to Taiwan, the Pentagon said on Friday.
The sale was announced hours before Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te was due to visit Taipei’s three diplomatic allies in the Pacific, with stops in Hawaii and the US territory of Guam.
How much do you need to live on Dividends?
Take part in the free Dividend Manual training and discover the simple and powerful strategy for living on income.
The sale sends “a wrong signal” to Taiwan independence forces and harms relations between the US and China, China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said in a separate statement that it firmly opposes any official exchanges between the US and Taiwan and “strongly condemns” the US for arranging Lai’s transit.
China, which considers Taiwan its own territory and the most important issue in its relations with Washington, considers Lai a “separatist”.
Continues after advertising
The US is required by US law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei.
