China warned on Wednesday that US military support for Taipei only increases the “risk of conflict” in the Taiwan Strait, after the US Congress passed an 8 billion dollar military assistance package for the island, AFP reports, Agerpres reports.
“I would like to emphasize that strengthening military ties between the US and Taiwan will not contribute to Taiwan’s security,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.
“This will only increase tensions and the risk of conflict on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and will ultimately be self-inflicted,” the spokesman warned.
The US Congress on Tuesday evening gave the final green light to a vast package of military assistance worth 95 billion dollars intended for allies of Washington, including Israel and Taiwan.
Taiwan’s president-elect, Lai Ching-te, who is due to take office on May 20, said the aid would “strengthen deterrence against authoritarianism” and “maintain peace”.
Beijing, which has not given up using force to take control of the self-governing island since 1949, warned on Wednesday of “firm and effective measures to protect its sovereignty, security and territorial integrity”.
An increased military aid cannot “save the fatal destiny of Taiwan’s independence”, warned the spokesperson of the Chinese MFA.
“The United States must stop arming Taiwan, stop creating new tensions in the Taiwan Strait, and stop compromising peace and stability on both sides of the strait,” he insisted.
