The wrong actions of the United States towards Taiwan could lead to a conflict with China, the Chinese Embassy in Washington said, commenting on the words of Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the possibility of record arms sales to the island.
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“China’s firm opposition to the sale of U.S. weapons to the Chinese region of Taiwan has been and remains clear and consistent. The Taiwan issue is the most important problem in relations between China and the United States, which affects them as a whole,” Liu Pengyu, an official representative of the Chinese Embassy in Washington said.
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According to the diplomat, if this problem is handled correctly, all relations will be stable, and both sides will be able to devote more energy to promoting mutually beneficial cooperation.
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“Otherwise, clashes and even conflicts are inevitable between the two countries, which will seriously jeopardize the entire range of bilateral relations,” Liu Pengyu said.
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This is how he responded to a request to comment on Rubio’s statement during a hearing in the House of Representatives that the US administration continues to review the $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan, but if approved, it could become the largest in history.
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“China expresses the hope that the American side will take concrete steps to maintain stable relations, as well as contribute to ensuring peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” a representative of the Chinese Embassy said.
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Taiwan, according to the Council on Foreign Relations of the United States for the period from 1950 to 2022, was the fourth largest buyer of American weapons, spending $ 50 billion on it. In the following years, transactions worth hundreds of millions and billions of dollars were also reported.
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Beijing considers Taiwan to be an integral part of China, and compliance with the “one China” principle is a prerequisite for other states wishing to establish or maintain diplomatic relations with China.
