China warns US military support for Taiwan increases ‘risk of conflict’

BEIJING, April 24 — China warned today that US military support for Taiwan only increased the “risk of conflict” along the strait, after the US Congress allocated US$8 billion (RM38.2 billion) in military support for the island.

“I’d like to emphasise that the United States and Taiwan strengthening military ties will not bring about security for Taiwan,” foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

“It will only increase tensions and the risk of conflict across the Taiwan Strait, and will ultimately be an act of shooting oneself in the foot,” Wang warned.

The US Congress gave final approval last night to a US$95 billion package of assistance to allies including Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

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Taiwan’s incoming president Lai Ching-te has said the aid package will “strengthen deterrence against authoritarianism” and “safeguard peace”.

But Beijing, which has said it would never renounce the use of force to bring the island under its control, warned today of “resolute and effective measures to safeguard its sovereignty, security and territorial integrity”.

Closer military aid cannot “save the doomed fate of Taiwan independence”, Wang warned.

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“The United States should... stop arming Taiwan, stop creating new tensions in the Taiwan Strait, and stop jeopardising peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” he said. — AFP