China threatens the United States with a major war at the Strait of Taiwan
China accused the United States of turning Taiwan into an “ammunition depot”, after the White House announced a $345 million military aid package for Taipei.
In detail, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office issued a statement late Saturday opposing military aid to Taiwan, which China claims as its territory.
“No matter how much taxpayer money of ordinary people is spent by Taiwan separatist forces, no matter how many US weapons, it won’t shake China’s resolve to solve the Taiwan problem, nor will it shake its firm will to achieve reunification our motherland,” the Taiwan Affairs Office said in a statement.
These recent developments came hours after the autonomous island announced at dawn on Sunday that it had tracked six Chinese navy ships in the waters off its shores.
In recent years, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army has increased its military exercises targeting Taiwan, sending fighter jets and warships to circle the island.
On the other hand, the ruling administration in Taiwan, led by the Democratic Progressive Party, intensified its arms purchases from the United States as part of its deterrence strategy against what it called the Chinese invasion.
Unlike previous military purchases, the latest batch of aid is part of a presidential mandate approved by the US Congress last year to remove weapons from existing US military stockpiles, so Taiwan wouldn’t have to wait for military production and sales.
Moreover, while Taiwan has bought $19 billion worth of weapons, much of it has yet to be delivered to the island.
Washington also scheduled to send man-portable air defense systems, intelligence capabilities, surveillance capabilities, firearms and missiles to Taiwan.
