China urges U.S. to stop arming Taiwan

China is strongly dissatisfied and firmly opposed to the United States' latest arms sale to China's Taiwan, a defense spokesman said on Tuesday morning.

Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian made the remarks in response to a media query saying that the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency has recently announced a $300-million sale of life cycle support and equipment to Taiwan.

Wu said that the U.S. arms sale has seriously violated the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, especially the August 17 Communique.

"This arms sale has seriously undermined China's sovereign security, seriously threatened peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sent a wrong signal to the separatist forces for 'Taiwan independence'," he said, stressing that the Taiwan question has always been the most important and sensitive one in China-U.S. relations.

The spokesman urged the U.S. to "stop arming Taiwan, fulfill its commitment of not supporting 'Taiwan independence' with concrete actions, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and stop going further and further down the wrong and dangerous path."

"Using Taiwan to contain China is doomed to fail, and seeking independence by relying on arms is doomed to death," said Wu.

He warned that the People's Liberation Army will strengthen military training and combat readiness, resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and firmly safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.