Benzinga - President Xi Jinping’s official mouthpiece on Tuesday slammed the U.S. for "arming Taiwan to the teeth."
What Happened: China’s Global Times newspaper, in an opinion piece, said the U.S. and the international community have long recognized Taiwan as part of China. However, Washington is now "secretly and publicly backtracking on the commitments it made to China" years ago.
The daily tabloid owned by Xi's Chinese Communist Party said the U.S. is trying to cross the red line of China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. "U.S. naval vessels constantly sail through the Taiwan Straits, making waves and flexing muscles."
Noting that the U.S. has made more than 110 rounds of arms sales to Taiwan since it severed its diplomatic ties in 1979, the publication said the Pentagon has been aiding Taiwan in multiple ways, including sending military personnel to train the Taiwanese army.
Repeating China's dubious claims on the island nation, Global Times threatened that Taiwan's independence is a "mirage that will inevitably shatter when facing the Chinese resolve for a national reunion."
Why It Matters: Chinese administration has long desired reunification with Taiwan, a goal that remains a top priority for Xi's Communist Party. China considers Taiwan a renegade province and has not ruled out the use of force to take control. In recent years, tensions have increased as the U.S. has strengthened its support for Taiwan, with Washington stating that any effort to reunify Taiwan with China forcibly would draw actions from Joe Biden‘s administration.
China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Monday told U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns that Washington must correct its handling of the Taiwan issue and stop the hollowing out of the "one China" principle.
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