China Warns It Will 'Resolutely Smash' Taiwan Independence As US Bolsters Support

China's military has issued a stern warning that it will "resolutely smash any form of Taiwan independence." This comes as reports suggest that the United States is planning to expedite the sale of defensive weaponry and other military support to Taiwan.

The Associated Press reports that China's Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Tan Kefei labeled the recent uptick in the interaction between the U.S. and Taiwanese militaries as an "extremely wrong and dangerous move" in an online statement and video.

He reinforced China's stance towards Taiwan, saying that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) "continues to strengthen military training and preparations and will resolutely smash any form of Taiwanese independence secession along with attempts at outside interference, and will resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

China views Taiwan, home to 23 million people, as its own territory, and has repeatedly stated its readiness to reclaim it by force, if necessary. The PLA, the world's largest standing military, has been conducting daily air and sea incursions around Taiwan, backed by China's naval fleet, state-of-the-art fighter jets, and a vast collection of ballistic missiles.

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Despite these aggressive moves, most Taiwanese citizens remain committed to preserving their de facto independence. Support from the international community, particularly the U.S. and Europe, despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations due to deference to Beijing, has been evident.

Tan's statement was in response to reports of President Joe Biden's impending approval of a $500 million arms sale to Taiwan and the deployment of more than 100 military personnel to evaluate and suggest improvements for Taiwan's defense capabilities, the AP reports.

The Biden administration is facing pressure from both the Democratic and Republican parties to fulfill the nearly $19 billion in approved but undelivered military sales to Taiwan. The delayed deliveries have been attributed to production bottlenecks due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased demand for arms for Ukraine.

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This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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