China on Friday vowed to impose sanctions on US firms involved in a deal to sell $2.2bn worth of tanks, missiles and related equipment to Taiwan
Beijing said the deal will harm China’s sovereignty and national security, widening age-long dispute between the two nations.
The Pentagon had said on Monday that the US state department approved the sale and supply of the weapons requested by Taiwan, including 108 General Dynamics Corp M1A2T Abrams tanks and 250 Stinger missiles, which are manufactured by Raytheon.
Washington maintained that the sales would not alter the basic military balance in the region despite its trade wars with Beijing.
China in a statement demanded that the deal be revoked.
The statement came as Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen was in New York en route to visit four Caribbean allies, a trip that has also incensed China.
China’s foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, said the US arms sale constituted “a serious violation of international law and the basic norms governing international relations”.
He also called it a serious violation of the “one-China” principle, under which the United States officially recognizes Beijing and not Taipei.
“To safeguard our national interests, China will impose sanctions on the US enterprises involved in the above-mentioned arms sales to Taiwan,” Geng said.
While its relations with Taiwan are technically unofficial, the US government is required by law to assist Taiwan in its defense and is its main supplier of arms.
China deems Taiwan a wayward province and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.
China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, warned Washington it should “not play with fire” on the question of Taiwan.
He said no foreign force could stop the reunification of China and no foreign force should try to intervene.
“We urge the US to fully recognize the gravity of the Taiwan question … [and] not to play with fire on the question of Taiwan,” Wang told a news conference.
