BEIJING, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department has approved an arms deal with China's Taiwan region worth 750 million U.S. dollars -- the first arms sale to Taiwan by the new U.S. administration.
By doing so, the United States betrayed its promise, continued down the path of "playing with fire," and went against the trend of the time for doing what does not serve the fundamental interests of both Chinese and American people.
Manipulating the Taiwan question has been a long-term strategy of the United States to contain China. Regrettably, the new U.S. administration showed no sign of altering its predecessors' hegemonic behavior, and attempted even harder to suppress China.
In 1982, China and the United States released the August 17 Communique concerning the issue of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, in which the United States stated that it "intends to gradually to reduce its sale of arms to Taiwan".
The new U.S. administration has, on multiple occasions, declared its adherence to the one-China principle and pledged not to support Taiwan in seeking so-called "independence."
However, the U.S. administration has gone back and forth and reneged on its own words. Such a self-contradictory act has seriously tarnished its political credit and gone against its commitment to the Chinese government and the Chinese people.
The U.S. side is clearly still trapped in its misunderstanding of China, and has not yet determined on the correct way of dealing with China.
The Taiwan question is the most important and sensitive issue in China-U.S. relations. China will not compromise or make concessions on issues that concern its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The U.S. side has constantly tested China's bottom line by playing the Taiwan card, which is playing with fire. It must stop sending erroneous signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.
The response of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority to the arms sale further exposes its intention of resisting the unstoppable trend of reunification by relying on the United States and resorting to force.
In reality, whatever weapons the DPP authority may obtain will not change the trend of reunification.
The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-U.S. relations. China has never intended to make itself an enemy of the United States, but no one should underestimate the resolve, the will, and the ability of the Chinese government and the Chinese people to defend the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The United States must withdraw its plans to sell arms to Taiwan immediately, properly handle Taiwan-related issues and stop poisoning China-U.S. relations with its wrong China policies. Enditem
