By He Ruo

It is reported that the US government recently approved a US$567 million military assistance to China's Taiwan region, which will fund training, anti-armor weapons and UAVs. In response, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense urged the US side to stop its duplicity towards China, stop its "two-faced" actions on the Taiwan question, and stop arming Taiwan to avoid further disrupting and sabotaging the relations between China and the US and their militaries.

America's arms sales to the Taiwan region have been a chronic barrier to the normal development of China-US relations as they epitomize the US side's violation of the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués. In their joint communiqué issued on August 17th, 1982, the US government promised that "it intends gradually to reduce its sale of arms to Taiwan, leading, over a period of time, to a final resolution", which, however, has turned out meaningless. Since the establishment of China-US diplomatic ties, the US has sold weapons to China's Taiwan region for more than 100 times, totaling over US$70 billion. This has seriously infringed upon China's sovereignty and security interests, gravely endangered cross-Strait peace and stability, and sent wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. In the past two years, the Biden administration has been reiterating its commitment to not supporting "Taiwan independence" on the one hand and continuously increasing its arms sales to Taiwan on the other – nearly 20 such arms sales programs have been approved by it since Biden was sworn in. The US government has no international credibility left whatsoever, given its immunity to qualms when breaking its words and trampling upon its promises. 

The US is bent on "arming Taiwan" for multiple vicious purposes. On the strategic level, it wants to root for "Taiwan independence" separatists and consequently contain China with the island. Despite being diverted by the Ukraine crisis and the Palestine-Israel conflict, it has doubled up on playing the "Taiwan card" in the illusion of using it as an excuse to stir up trouble in the Asia Pacific and consequently contain China. On the practical level, the US just cannot give up the steady arms orders from Taiwan. Indeed, where can it find a better deal since it is completely up to the US to decide what to sell and at what price? No wonder the weapons it sells to Taiwan are known for being exorbitantly costly and outdated.

For instance, Taiwan's so-called "legislative chamber" passed a bill in 2019 to spend US$8 billion buying 66 F-16V fighters from the US. Not only was the unit price for this "generation-3.5" fighter – US$120 million – far above the market price, but it was higher than the price of America's fifth-generation F35, and the aircraft won't be delivered until 2026. 

Here is a more appalling example. A recent DoD report exposed quality issues with the weapons it provided to Taiwan last December, including outdated ammunition and moldy bullet-proof vests. The US is taking Taiwan as a "dump site" where it can clear its inventory and dump the weapons it no longer wants, making the DPP a laughing stock, who imagines it could ride on America's coattails, only to find itself paying fortunes for its craps. Even so, the DPP has to act all grateful, trying its best to serve as a satisfactory fool with a deep pocket.

The Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests and is the first red line in China-US relations that must not be crossed. No one should underestimate China's firm resolve and powerful capability of opposing "Taiwan independence" and defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity. No amount of weapons dumped by the US on the Taiwan region will ever stop the historical process of China's reunification – not in the least. 

At present, American military vessels and aircraft are being intercepted more often in the Taiwan Strait, and the Chinese PLA's military deterrence on the island in the form of patrols and exercises has become a normal practice. The more intensive moves by anti-China forces and "Taiwan independence" separatist forces will only be met with firmer countermeasures. It's been repeatedly proven that the attempt to "contain China with Taiwan" and "reject reunification through the use of force" will only accelerate the process of China's reunification.

It's dangerous to be America's enemy, and lethal to be its ally. Whatever fancy name it calls it – arms sales, military assistance, or financing, all that America has ever given Taiwan is just a pile of unwanted metals and empty promises. The clowns, who bank on foreign support and dream of rejecting reunification through the use of force, and who are splurging Taiwan people's hard-earned money for an illusion of America's protection, are pushing the island almost over the cliff. 

The reunification of China is what the Chinese people all wish for, and what the Chinese PLA is capable of realizing. Recently, the Chinese government has organized the safe evacuation of 215 Chinese nationals in two batches from Lebanon to ensure their personal and property safety. A Taiwan compatriot said in an interview, "We evacuated together, as Chinese nationals. I always know China is my motherland. I didn't just think of it for the evacuation." Such patriotism, such love for the motherland, shared by 1.4 billion people, will amount to an overwhelming and unstoppable historical trend.

It is an international consensus that there is but one China in the world. Any interference in another country's internal affairs is against the trend of the times. This principle goes for arms sales to Taiwan, and also for China-US relations. The US side will get itself burnt if it insists on playing with fire. 

Editor's note: Originally published on bjd.com.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.