BEIJING, Sept. 20 -- "The US's weapons, instead of being the protective talisman for DPP authorities, are the 'nooses' that prelude their self-destruction," said Chinese Defense Spokesperson Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang on Friday.
He made those remarks when asked to comment on the US arms sales to China's Taiwan region. It is reported that the US Department of State approved a military sale of spare parts and technical support valued at about USD 228 million to Taiwan on September 16, local time.
记者：据报道，当地时间9月16日，美国国务院批准售台战机所需的备用零件与技术支持案，金额约2.28亿美元。请问发言人有何评论？
Spokesperson Zhang pointed out that the US arms sales to China's Taiwan region is a gross violation of the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, especially the August 17 Communiqué of 1982.
"It seriously harms China’'s sovereignty and security interests and jeopardizes peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese side is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to this move, and has lodged stern representations with the US side," said the spokesperson.
张晓刚：美方向中国台湾地区出售武器，严重违反一个中国原则和中美三个联合公报特别是“八一七公报”的规定，严重损害中国主权和安全利益，严重破坏台海和平稳定。我们对此强烈不满和坚决反对，已向美方提出严正交涉。
Zhang continued that the "Taiwan independence" poses the greatest threat to cross-Strait peace and stability, and the US's actions of supporting independence by selling weapons to Taiwan have sent seriously wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. The US is pushing the island increasingly towards an extremely dangerous situation of war. The US's wrongdoings gravely harm the safety and well-being of Taiwan compatriots and escalate tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
"It must be stressed that Taiwan's security depends on the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations. The US's weapons, instead of being the protective talisman for DPP authorities, are the 'nooses' that prelude their self-destruction," noted the spokesperson.
“台独”是台海和平稳定的最大毒瘤。美方“以武助独”向“台独”分裂势力释放严重错误信号，正一步步把台湾推向兵凶战危的险境，严重危害台湾同胞的安全与福祉，严重推升台海紧张局势。需要强调的是，台湾的安全取决于两岸关系和平发展，美制武器不是民进党当局的“护身符”，而是其自取灭亡的“索命绳”。
The spokesperson reaffirmed that the Taiwan question is the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations. China urges the US side to honor its commitment to not supporting "Taiwan independence", stop its military collusion with the Taiwan region and the move to arm it in any way, and take solid actions to maintain the stable, sound and sustainable development of bilateral and mil-to-mil relations with China.
"The Chinese PLA will continue to enhance combat readiness and military training , and take resolute and powerful measures to foil any separatist schemes seeking 'Taiwan independence' and any external interference," stressed the spokesperson in the end.
台湾问题是中美关系第一条不可逾越的红线。我们敦促美方切实落实不支持“台独”承诺，停止美台军事勾连，停止以任何方式武装台湾，以实际行动维护两国两军关系稳定、健康、可持续发展。中国人民解放军将继续加强练兵备战，采取果断有力措施，坚决挫败任何“台独”分裂图谋和外部势力干涉。
