China on Thursday sharply criticised the United States over its latest weapons deal with Taiwan, warning that the move was accelerating the risk of conflict across the Taiwan Strait and undermining regional stability.
Speaking at a regular press briefing on Dec 25, Chinese defence ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said Washington had reneged on its commitments by expanding arms sales to the self-ruled island and deepening official engagement with Taipei.
“The US side has reneged on its commitments, escalating arm sales to Taiwan and intensified its acceptance of Taiwan, fueling further arrogance and speeding up the threat of war in the Taiwan Strait,” Zhang said.
The remarks followed the US announcement last week of a US$11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan, the largest-ever weapons sale approved for the island. The proposed deal, approved by Washington on Dec 18, includes eight categories of military equipment, ranging from High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and howitzers to Javelin anti-tank missiles, Altius loitering munition drones, and spare parts for existing platforms, according to Taiwan’s defence ministry.
Zhang urged the United States to halt what he described as repeated “provocations” and to correct its “wrong actions”. He accused Washington of interfering in China’s internal affairs through Taiwan-related legislation and weapons transfers.
“The US’ negative Taiwan-related Bill wantonly interferes in China’s internal affairs and sends a serious wrong signal to Taiwan independence secessionist forces, which seriously undermines peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” he said.
Reiterating Beijing’s long-standing position, Zhang called on Washington to fully recognise the “high sensitivity” of the Taiwan issue and to adhere to the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiqués that underpin bilateral relations. He also warned the US to be “extremely cautious” in handling Taiwan-related matters, stop arming the island “in any way”, and take “concrete actions” to safeguard overall ties between the two countries and their militaries.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has vowed to achieve reunification, by force if necessary. Beijing has repeatedly opposed US arms sales to Taipei, arguing they embolden pro-independence forces and raise the risk of military confrontation.
Taiwan’s defence ministry, however, defended the proposed arms package, saying it was essential to strengthening the island’s ability to deter aggression. In a statement issued after the US announcement, the ministry said Washington was continuing to help Taiwan maintain sufficient self-defence capabilities and rapidly build deterrent power by leveraging asymmetric warfare advantages.
“These capabilities form the foundation for maintaining regional peace and stability,” the ministry said.
The package is currently at the Congressional notification stage in the United States, during which lawmakers have the option to block or modify the sale. Taiwan officials noted that arms sales to the island typically enjoy broad bipartisan support in the US Congress.
In separate statements announcing details of the deal, the Pentagon said the weapons transfers served US national, economic and security interests. It said the sales would support Taiwan’s ongoing efforts to modernise its armed forces and maintain a “credible defensive capability”.
China’s defence ministry responded on Dec 19 by saying the People’s Liberation Army would step up training and “take forceful measures” to safeguard China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It said Beijing had lodged “stern representations” with Washington and demanded that the US immediately cease arms sales to Taiwan and honour its commitment not to support “Taiwan independence forces”.
The dispute underscores a persistent fault line in US-China relations. While Washington formally recognises the government in Beijing as the sole legal government of China, it maintains unofficial ties with Taiwan and remains the island’s most important arms supplier. Under US law, the United States is required to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, a policy that continues to generate sharp friction with Beijing as cross-strait tensions remain elevated.
