US-Taiwan military exchanges firmly opposed

China expressed serious concern and firm opposition to the military exchanges between Taiwan and the United States, which "has been repeatedly reneging on its commitments and frequently implementing arms sales" to the island, a defense spokesman said on Thursday.

Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to recent moves related to US arms sales to the Taiwan region.

This month, the US House of Representatives passed its version of the 2024 defense authorization bill, which includes provisions to accelerate the provision of asymmetric weapons to Taiwan and invite the island to participate in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise.

In addition, during a meeting held earlier this month in Washington, the US and Taiwan reached an agreement on Taiwan's purchase of US surface-to-air missile systems.

Tan pointed out that the US has clearly recognized in the August 17 Communique that there is only one China in the world, that Taiwan is part of China and that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing China.

The US also clearly pledged to not seek to make long-term arms sales to Taiwan and to gradually reduce arms sales to the island until the Taiwan question is ultimately resolved, he noted.

"However, the US has been repeatedly reneging on its commitments, frequently conducting arms sales to Taiwan and strengthening military contacts with the region," Tan said.

"These malicious actions have seriously damaged Chinese national sovereignty and security, posed a serious threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and brought significant strategic risks to China-US military relations," he said, stressing that the Taiwan question is China's internal affair which doesn't brook any foreign interference.

The spokesman warned that Taiwan's security depends on the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, and that the peace across the Strait and "Taiwan independence" are as irreconcilable as water and fire.

"Any words or actions that advocate strengthening US-Taiwan military contacts and arms sales to Taiwan will only escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait and increase the risk of conflict, which would essentially harm and destroy Taiwan," Tan emphasized.

He urged the US to stop selling weapons to Taiwan and cease military contacts with the island, and to not make repeated mistakes concerning the Taiwan question.

"Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities, which are attempting to seek independence by relying on the US and colluding with external forces, would turn Taiwan into 'an island full of landmines', or 'an ammunition depot'," Tan said.

Facts have proven that "Taiwan independence" and foreign interference are the biggest threats to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and would severely harm the interests and well-being of the people of Taiwan, he said.

The spokesman warned that the People's Liberation Army is closely monitoring the situation across the Taiwan Strait and will continue to take "decisive and powerful" measures to firmly defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.