(MENAFN- Asia Times)
China has strongly protested outgoing US President Joe Biden's approval of as much as US$571.3 million worth of defense material and services for Taiwan, warning that America is“playing with fire” with its latest provision of military material and services to the self-ruling island.
Separately, the US Defense Department announced that it approved $295 million worth of military sales to Taipei, weaponry amid rising regional tensions that many speculate could become the epicenter of global geopolitical tensions with the likely end of the Ukraine war under the incoming Donald trump administration.
The $571 million in military assistance tops up Biden's authorization of $567 million for the same purposes in late September. In October, He approved $2 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, including the first-time delivery of an advanced surface-to-air missile defense system.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry statement released on Sunday (December 22) urged the US to stop arming Taiwan and cease what it called“dangerous moves that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”
The latest US military package was announced after China's largest maritime drills around Taiwan since 1996, with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) deploying more than 90 warships to adjacent waters stretching from the East China Sea to the Taiwan Straits and South China Sea.
“Taiwan and the United States will continue to cooperate closely on security issues to maintain peace, stability and the status quo across the Taiwan Strait,” Taiwan's foreign ministry said in a statement.
Due to the sensitivity of the issue, Taipei declined to provide details on the“content” of the assistance“based on the tacit agreement between Taiwan and the United States.”
The stakes couldn't be higher. A recently released report by the US Pentagon has warned that China has“amplified” its full-spectrum pressure on Taiwan over the past year, underscoring Beijing's threat to“reunify” the island with the mainland.
War drums
Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping has reportedly instructed the PLA to be in a position to conduct a successful invasion of Taiwan by 2027, if necessary.
That threat could grow in significance if Trump follows through on his promised 60% tariffs on all Chinese goods, a move that would add pressure to China's already wobbly economy and potentially the ruling Communist Party.
If anything, China is determined to create a“world-class” military that can rival America's by 2049. With an estimated annual defense budget of $450 billion , China is in a strong position to concentrate its increasingly robust military capabilities in its own backyard, i.e., the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.
Already in possession of the world's largest navy, with as many as 395 battleforce ships to come on steam next year, China is also deploying
DF-27 anti-ship ballistic missiles that could significantly threaten America's military presence in the Western Pacific, including the strategic outpost of Guam.
MENAFN23122024000159011032ID1109022375
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.