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The Chinese government protested Sunday over the latest U.S. military sales and aid announcements Taiwanwarning the United States that it was “playing with fire.”
American president Joe Biden approved on Saturday the provision of up to $571 million in Department of Defense materiel and services and military education and training for Taiwan. Separately, the Defense Department said Friday that $295 million in military sales had been approved.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs The statement called on the US to stop arming Taiwan and stop, as they said, “dangerous moves that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”
Taiwan is a democratic island of 23 million people that the Chinese government claims as its territory and says must come under its control. US military sales and aid are intended to help Taiwan defend and deter China from launching the attack.
The $571 million in military aid comes on top of Biden’s authorization of $567 million for the same purposes in late September. The military sale includes $265 million for about 300 tactical radio systems and $30 million for 16 racks.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry welcomed the approval of the two sales, saying in a social media post on X that it reaffirmed the US government’s “commitment to our defense.”