China issued a chilling warning after US President Joe Biden promised military aid for Taiwan sending tensions in the region spiraling.
Despite the relatively modest £63.5million promised, Beijing has been infuriated by the use of the so-called Foreign Military Financing program.
The fund is typically reserved for sovereign, independent states – China sees Taiwan as a renegade province and vows to retake the democratically-run island.
The Global Times – a communist state-run newspaper largely seen as Beijing’s mouthpiece – went on the offensive issuing a stark warning after the announcement.
“China’s strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition are obvious, but China’s response to the continuous provocations by the US on the Taiwan question will not be limited to mere statements,” the paper wrote in an op-ed.
It added: “With the increasing number and intensity of its intervention methods, the brewing and imminent storm of lethal consequences for Taiwan cannot be ignored.”
The US State Department said the transfer of funds would ”be used to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defence capabilities” while enhancing maritime awareness and capabilities.
In addition to the Global Times, top Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin slammed the move and reaffirmed Beijing’s belief that Taiwan was an “inalienable” part of China.
“The US decision to provide weapons to China’s Taiwan region under the so-called Foreign Military Financing used for sovereign states seriously violates the one-China principle,” Mr Wang said.
He said China “deplores” the move and claimed it violated international law, harmed peace and gave the “wrong signals to Taiwan independence separatist forces”.
“There is but one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The Taiwan question is entirely China’s internal affair that brooks no foreign interference,” Mr Wang added.
Tensions in the region have been soaring amid China’s more aggressive foreign policy stance over Taiwan and the South China Sea.
Earlier this year, Beijing conducted massive military drills around the democratically-run island and last month China sent dozens of aircraft and ships towards Taiwan crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait.
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