China demands US must stop selling arms to Taiwan & cease all military contacts

China on Friday, March 3 urged that the US must cease all communication with the self-administered island of Taiwan, and halt all military contacts between the joint chiefs of staff from the two ally nations. The US must cease selling weapons to the breakaway territory Taiwan, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Tan Kefei said. China escalated the issue with the US over a potential deal with Taiwan for the sale of multirole stealth F-16 fighter jets, and military equipment worth more than $600 million. 

"China demands that the United States stop selling arms to Taiwan and military contacts with Taipei, stop interfering in the Taiwan issue and aggravating tensions in the Taiwan Strait," Tan was quoted as saying by Russia's state affiliated news agency Sputnik. 

US' $619 million deal with Taiwan

The Biden administration signed an estimated $619 million deal with Taiwan for the sale of hundreds of missiles and equipment for the F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan. A statement released by the US State Department noted an official as saying that the sale is “consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act and our longstanding One-China policy,” and that the United state will "make available to Taiwan defense articles and services necessary to enable it to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.”

On Thursday, the Chinese defense minister lambasted the US for selling munitions to Taiwan and ratcheting up tensions in the Asian subcontinent. "China strongly opposes the arms sale to Taiwan by the United States," noted Tan Kefei. Furthermore, he said, that Beijing has been wary of the US' "gross interference in China's internal affairs, that seriously violate the 'one China principle and the provisions of the three joint US-Chinese communique, cause serious damage to China's sovereignty and security interests, and pose a serious threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait." 

Just two days ago, a US Navy P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft conducted a sortie near the contentious Taiwan Strait prompting Chinese PLAAF to scramble a fighter jet and blare the radio warnings. Army Senior Colonel Shi Yi, the spokesperson for the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command, released a statement, saying that "the PLA Eastern Theater Command had organized troops to track and monitor the US aircraft in the whole course, and had everything under control".

"China firmly opposes the US's action, which has deliberately disrupted the regional situation and jeopardized the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," stressed the Chinese spokesperson.