Photo taken on May 21, 2020 shows red flags on the Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)
China on Wednesday voiced firm opposition to the latest plan approved by the U.S. State Department to sell MQ-9B drones to Taiwan, vowing legitimate and necessary reactions to safeguard national sovereignty and security interests.
The potential sale, worth 600 million U.S. dollars, is reportedly the first of such deals after the U.S. administration eased export restrictions on armed drones in July.
In response to a media query at a daily press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said China's position on the issue of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan is "consistent and clear."
Wang said the U.S. arms sales to the Taiwan region severely violate the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, especially the August 17 Communique, constitute blatant interference in China's internal affairs, seriously undermine China's sovereignty and security interests, send out wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, and gravely undercut China-U.S. relations as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
"China firmly opposes such acts," the spokesperson said.
Wang urged the United States to stay committed to the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, stop arms sales to and military ties with the Taiwan region, and immediately cancel its arms sale plan to avoid further damaging China-U.S. relations and cross-strait peace and stability.
"China will take legitimate and necessary reactions to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and security interests," Wang added.
