China Steps Up Pressure on US Over Taiwan Weapons Sales

To stop Washington from continuing down a "wrong and dangerous" road, China said on Tuesday that it had complained to the US over a weapons aid package to Taiwan.

As part of the 2023 budget, Congress approved up to $1 billion in weapons help for the island, and the United States announced a $345 million aid package for Taiwan on Friday.

China Demands an End to US-Taiwan 'Military Collusion'

TAIWAN-US-TAIWAN BUSINESS COUNCILS — Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian (L) speaks at the opening of the four-day joint conference of US-Taiwan and ROC-USA Business Councils in Taipei , 09 September 2002. Others in photo (from R-L): Douglas Paal, de factor US ambassador to Taipei; Taiwan economic minister Lin Yi-fu; Greyson Bassett, Taiwan Country director of United defense; and Taiwan parliamentarian Wang Chung-yu. by EDWARD CHIN/AFP via Getty Images

Tan Kefei, a spokesman for China's defense ministry, demanded that the United States cease all "military collusion" with Taiwan, according to Reuters.

Beijing regularly forbids any "official exchanges" between Taipei and Washington and asserts sovereignty over the democratically run island. Taiwan denies China's claims to sovereignty and asserts that only the people of Taiwan have the power to determine their future.

Despite the lack of official diplomatic connections and the ire such weapons supplies incite in Beijing, the United States, Taiwan's largest arms supplier, is required by law to give it the ability to defend itself.

To aid Taiwan in defending itself, the top US general stated in July that the country and its allies should speed up the transfer of weaponry to Taiwan in the coming years. According to Taiwan's defense ministry, China's military has also been exercising its muscles around the island, recently sending dozens of fighters, bombers, and other aircraft into the skies to Taiwan's south.

It was stated that the People's Liberation Army of China keeps a careful eye on events in the Taiwan Strait and is constantly on high alert.

Increasing Tensions Between China and US

The United States and China have been tense over Taiwan for decades. China claims Taiwan as its territory, while Taiwan maintains its independence. The United States has a long-standing "strategic ambiguity" policy on Taiwan, meaning it has not explicitly stated whether it would defend Taiwan if China attacked.

In recent years, tensions between the United States and China over Taiwan have increased. China has been conducting more military exercises near Taiwan, warning the United States against selling weapons to Taiwan.

The United States has responded by increasing its military presence in the region and selling more weapons to Taiwan.

The tensions over Taiwan have the potential to escalate into a military conflict. If China were to attack Taiwan, the United States would face a difficult decision: whether to defend Taiwan or risk a wider conflict with China. The outcome of such a conflict could have a profound impact on the global order.

The tensions over Taiwan are a major source of instability in the Indo-Pacific region. If the situation were to escalate, it could significantly impact the global order.