Recent support for Taiwan by the U.S., including an $80 million military financing program, has drawn stern warnings from China. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s mouthpiece has cautioned that this support has overstepped a “red line,” potentially sparking severe repercussions.
What Happened: The state-run newspaper in China, The Global Times, has warned the U.S. sternly about its support for Taiwan. The paper forewarns a brewing “storm of lethal consequences” in an op-ed published on Friday.
“With the increasing number and intensity of its intervention methods, the brewing and imminent storm of lethal consequences for Taiwan cannot be ignored,” it said.
“China’s strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition are obvious, but China’s response to the continuous provocations by the U.S. on the Taiwan question will not be limited to mere statements.”
The Global Times further emphasized that China’s reaction to what it views as continued U.S. provocations over Taiwan will go beyond mere rhetoric. This follows the Joe Biden administration’s approval of an $80 million military transfer to Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program.
“It signifies that the US has once again crossed a threshold and overstepped a red line in interfering in the Taiwan question,” The Global Times added.
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The U.S. State Department justified the transfer to Congress as a move to enhance Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities, improving maritime domain awareness and security. The FMF is usually employed for sovereign states, a status that the U.S. acknowledges for Taiwan, contrary to China’s claim of Taiwan as part of its territory.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin censured the U.S. military transfer, labeling it a serious breach of international law and a threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Why It Matters: The U.S.’s unprecedented military transfer to Taiwan, which Beijing views as a violation of the "one-China principle," had previously drawn strong disapproval from China.
Beijing has repeatedly voiced its opposition to any U.S. defense aid to Taiwan. It urged Washington to cease heightening tensions across the Taiwan Strait and to stop arming Taiwan.
Meanwhile, China has been signaling its military readiness for a possible conflict with Taiwan. An eight-episode documentary series featuring the People’s Liberation Army was recently aired in mainland China, showcasing the country’s preparedness for a potential assault on Taiwan.
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