China has vowed “resolute countermeasures” in response to a recent US arms sale to Taiwan and the arrangement for Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te to transit through US territory. Beijing condemned the US State Department’s approval of a $385 million sale of spare parts and support for Taiwan’s F-16 jets and radars. China criticized the sale, announced just hours before
President Lai’s departure on a diplomatic tour of Pacific allies, for sending a “wrong signal” to Taiwan’s independence supporters and damaging US-China relations.
In a separate statement, China also expressed strong opposition to any official exchanges between the US and Taiwan, condemning the US for facilitating Lai’s transit. China considers President Lai a “separatist” and views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory.
Despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties, the US is legally bound to assist Taiwan in its self-defense, a policy that consistently frustrates Beijing. Taiwan, however, rejects China’s claims of sovereignty over the island.
