News|International

China has asked the U.S. to withdraw from a planned arms deal to Taiwan, worth $2.2 Billion dollars. China is accusing Washington of interfering in the domestic affairs of the Chinese government. 

On Monday, Pentagon announced to Congress that it was likely to make a sale of arms to Taiwan  outlined in a $2.2 billion deal that provides tanks, anti-aircraft missiles, and related equipment to the Taiwanese military. 

Taiwan is consider apart of China by the Chinese government and falls under the one-China policy. Taiwan is officially know as the Republic of China, whereas China is is known as the People’s Republic of China. Under the one-China policy the Chinese government sees Taiwan as apart of China and not a sovereign state. Policy from Beijing dictates that China will refuse diplomatic relations with any country that recognizes the island of Taiwan as a sovereign state.

Amid the tensions of the one-China policy and the intense trade war between U.S. and China, relations are low and tensions are high between the two nations.

China’s foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters Tuesday that the sale of weapons “seriously violates the one-China principle,” and “grossly interferes in China’s internal affairs and undermines China’s sovereignty and security interests.”

Geng added that China had already lodged formal complaints opposing any sale through “diplomatic channels, “and urged Washington that to avoid to disrupting stability in the Taiwan Strait, it must “immediately cancel the planned arms sale and stop military relations with Taipei.”

The possible arms deal between the U.S. and Taiwan would include 108 M1A2T Abrams Tanks, 250 stringer missiles, mounted machine guns, and ammunition. 

The Taiwan Presidential Office expressed “sincere thanks” to the U.S. for helping the island strengthen its defense in a statement on its English language website.