China vowed to take action after another U.S. arms sale to Taiwan

The Chinese Foreign Ministry protested against another $95 million arms sale to Taiwan and promised “effective measures” in response. In addition, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, commenting on the possible visit of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island, threatened the United States with serious consequences, which are fraught with this step.

“The People’s Liberation Army of China will take active measures to doom any attempts by outside forces, under any pretext, to support Taiwanese separatists. We will firmly defend our country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said a statement of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

It specifies that the list of weapons to be supplied will include Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems; besides, the United States will send its personnel for technical support to the Taiwan air base.

Speaking about a possible visit of Pelosi to Taiwan, Zhao Lijian said that China was firmly against any form of official contact between the United States and Taiwan.

The U.S. State Department first authorized the sale of weapons to Taiwan under a $2.2 billion contract back in 2019, and since then China has repeatedly protested the arms sales. In February 2022, sanctions were announced against two U.S. supplier companies.

The U.S. does not recognize Taiwan’s independence from China, but under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 it is obliged to supply the island with military equipment necessary for self-defense.