China reiterated its strong opposition to United States arms sales to Taiwan on Wednesday, urging Washington to honour its commitments as US President Donald Trump prepared to travel to Beijing for a high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The issue of Taiwan, which China regards as part of its territory, alongside U.S. weapons sales to Taipei, was expected to feature prominently in the two-day talks between both leaders.
The United States, under its domestic law, has been required to provide Taiwan with defensive capabilities despite lacking formal diplomatic relations. In December, the Trump administration announced an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan, marking the largest such deal to date.
Zhang Han, a spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said Taiwan remained an internal matter for China and stressed Beijing’s firm stance against any form of US-Taiwan military cooperation.
She said China “firmly opposed” US arms sales and military ties with Taiwan, describing the position as consistent and unequivocal.
Zhang added that Taiwan represented the “core of China’s core interests” and argued that US commitments on the issue were international obligations that Washington was duty-bound to fulfil.
While the United States maintained its “One China” policy and took no formal position on Taiwan’s sovereignty, it continued to acknowledge Beijing’s claim over the island.
Trump’s visit came less than a week after Taiwan’s opposition-led legislature approved only two-thirds of a proposed $40 billion special defence budget requested by President Lai Ching-te, cutting several domestic defence programmes while still funding US arms purchases.
A senior US official said Washington had been disappointed with the reduced defence allocation, arguing it fell short of expectations.
A Taiwanese security official warned that Beijing could use the budget reduction as leverage during discussions with Trump, potentially arguing that Taiwan itself was unwilling to prioritise arms purchases.
Reports also indicated that a further $14 billion arms package could be considered after Trump’s China visit, although its approval status remained unclear.
President Lai, speaking at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, described Taiwan as a sovereign, independent democracy that would not bow to external pressure.
In response, Zhang insisted Taiwan was an inseparable part of China and would “never be a country,” adding that Beijing’s resolve to oppose Taiwan independence remained firm.
A spokesperson for Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party said Taiwan’s government, military, and democratic system demonstrated its sovereignty, adding that the island would continue to assert its international presence.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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