China urges U.S. to stop arms sales to Taiwan

China on Friday urged the United States to stop arms sales to and military contact with China’s Taiwan region and stop creating new factors that could lead to tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

“China will act firmly to defend its own sovereignty and security interests,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular press briefing when asked to comment on the U.S. State Department’s recent approval of arms sales to Taiwan.

He stressed China has always been firmly opposed to U.S. arms sales to China’s Taiwan region.

Wang said China urges the United States to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques and earnestly act on the commitment made by the U.S. leadership of not supporting “Taiwan independence.”