UPDATE - China 'firmly’ opposes US arms sales to Taiwan

UPDATES WITH CHINA'S REACTION TO TAIWAN LEADER’S STOPOVER IN US, REVISES DECK

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) - China on Sunday deplored and "firmly" opposed US arms sales to Taiwan, saying it "seriously" violates the one-China principle and the three Beijing-Washington joint communiques.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that Beijing has lodged "serious" protests to the US over the latest arms sales, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

Washington on Saturday announced that it has approved $385 million worth of arms sales to Taiwan.

"The US arms sales to China's Taiwan region seriously violate the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, especially the August 17 Communique of 1982 and China's sovereignty and security interests," the spokesperson said.

The decision to sell arms to Taiwan is simply inconsistent with US leaders' commitment to not supporting "Taiwan independence," Beijing further said.

"We call on the US to immediately stop arming Taiwan and stop abetting and supporting 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces in seeking 'Taiwan independence' by building up its military," the spokesperson said, adding: "China will take strong and resolute countermeasures to firmly defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity."

In another statement, Beijing "strongly" condemned and lodged a protest to Washington for "arranging" Taiwan's leader Lai Ching-te's stopover during his Pacific tour.

Lai arrived in Hawaii Sunday, where he is stopping over for the first two nights before going to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, three of the 12 countries that retain formal diplomatic ties with Taipei.