China's communist regime strongly condemned the Pentagon's announcement on Friday, which authorized up to $571 million in military support and a $265 million sale of communications equipment to the Taiwanese armed forces.
In a statement issued on Sunday, China's foreign ministry accused the United States of "playing with fire" and urged Washington to “immediately stop arming Taiwan and stop the dangerous moves that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”
This new funding comes on the heels of a $567 million allocation for Taiwan’s security authorized by the Biden administration in September, along with a $2 billion deal for advanced surface-to-air missiles in October.
In response to the appropriation, the government in Taipei expressed gratitude, thanking the U.S. for “reaffirming its commitment to our defense in line with the Taiwan Relations Act.”
This development is part of a broader pattern of Beijing’s criticism of U.S. policies regarding Taiwan, as China considers the island nation a breakaway province and has repeatedly threatened to use force to bring it under its control.
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