Taiwan has signed the contract with the US to purchase a Field Information Communications System worth USD 245 million. China firmly opposes US arms sales to China’s Taiwan region and any form of official exchanges and military ties with China’s Taiwan. The US move seriously interfered in China’s internal affairs, violated the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US Joint Communiqués, and undermined China-US relations as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. What the US did is like playing with fire while holding the firewood.

Recently, we have seen increased military collusion between the US and the Taiwan region. The current tension between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is severe, and the risk of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is rising. The root cause is that the DPP authority has colluded with external forces to continuously make provocations seeking independence, and the US has frequently manipulated Taiwan-related issues for the purpose of using the Taiwan question to contain China. The US continues to conduct arms sales and fuel the fire in a tense and severe situation. It is extremely irresponsible behavior for regional peace and stability, which has caused widespread concern in the international community.

The continuous arms sales to Taiwan highlight the US contradiction between its words and deeds, and its political credibility is at stake. China and the US issued a joint communiqué on the issue on August 17, 1982. In the communiqué, the US government promised to gradually reduce and eventually stop arms sales to Taiwan region. The China-US joint statements issued in 2009 and 2011 reaffirmed that “the fundamental principle of respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is at the core of the three China-US joint communiqués which guide China-US relations,” and “the US abides bythe principles of the three China-US joint communiqués.” Senior US government officials have recently reiterated that they adhere to the one-China policy and do not support Taiwan’s so-called independence. Facts have shown that the US side says one thing and does another, blatantly breaking its promise without any psychological burdens. It ultimately hurts the political credibility of the US government and its international reputation.

As the saying goes, benefits are tempting an early bird. The US is so keen on arms sales to Taiwan because it is a “big deal.” Through the arms sales to Taiwan, while playing the “Taiwan card” to “use the Taiwan question to contain China,” the US continues to prey on Taiwan and make a good fortune from it. Internet usersNetizens on the island are clear-sighted and said that the arms sales are “purchasing garbage that the US does not want as treasures,” “cheating money out of people in Taiwan", and “stepping up to empty Taiwan.” In fact, arms sales to Taiwan are just the epitome of how the US prospers through instigating confrontation. According to a report on global arms sales trends released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in Sweden, the global arms trade volume between 2017 and 2021 fell compared to that of the previous five years, but US overseas arms sales rose sharply during the same period.

The Taiwan question is the most important and sensitive issue in China-US relations as it bears on China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. On this major issue of principle, it is absolutely impossible for China to compromise and concede. No force should take any chances on this. The US side must recognize the high sensitivity and serious harm of arms sales to Taiwan. It must not be obsessed with playing the “Taiwan card.” The US must handle Taiwan-related issues prudently and properly, stop arms sales to and the military ties with Taiwan region, and refrain from sending any wrong signals to the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces.