China Calls on the US to Stop Arming Taiwan
Jose Nino
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On September 2, 2022, the United States government announced its proposal made up of three contracts roughly around $1.1 billion for supplying arms and technical services to Taiwan.
As a result of this increased military aid to Taiwan, China is urging the US to stop providing Taiwan with weapons. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on September 5 that such actions threaten to increase tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
“The Chinese side insists that the United States abide by our bilateral agreements and stop supplying weapons to Taiwan and conducting military exercises involving Taipei,” Mao said at a news briefing. “There is no need to create new factors that increase tensions in the Taiwan Strait.”
Mao stressed the importance of the US not turning to “political machinations” to destabilize China. “The US must stop using Taiwan to contain China,” Mao continued.
Russian state media outlet TAAS listed off what’s contained in this $1.1 billion aid package:
Equipment and logistical support for radar stations, 60 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles (Harpoon Block – 2), four ATM-84L-1 Harpoon Block II missiles and 100 tactical air-to-air missiles AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder (Block-2 Sidewinder).
The US Congress still hasn’t fully reviewed these aid agreements, but several international relation pundits believe that Congress will end up approving this proposal.
The US’s growing defense cooperation and political ties with Taiwan have alarmed China. The Chinese government has pointed out on multiple occasions that Taiwan is an integral part of China. Chinese authorities have called on the US to stick to the principles outlined by the One China policy.
Since the Nationalists were defeated by the Communists in 1949 during the Chinese Communist Revolution (1945-1949) Taiwan has been locally governed. However, the majority of the world community including Russia, treats it as one of China’s provinces.
Starting in 1979, the United States broke diplomatic ties with Taiwan and formally recognized the mainland authorities as the official government of China. Ostensibly, the US has maintained this One China policy since 1979. However, in recent years it has sought to gradually overturn it by slowly recognizing the island’s independence and supplying it with arms.
There are concerns about China’s trade practices and the way it uses immigration as a geopolitical tool to commit acts of mass corporate espionage and military espionage. Ultimately, there has to be compartmentalization of policy towards China. Namely, we should only focus on America First interests such as restricting trade and migration from China and not get involved with military conflict with it.
Trying to get involved in a geopolitical conflict with it is a bridge too far.
The rational America First approach to the China question is one centered on immigration and trade restriction.
Anything beyond that, will put the US on a path to conflict with a nuclear power — a disastrous scenario on all fronts.
An America First approach is the only way to maintain stability abroad while maintaining the US’s core economic interests at home.
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