China says US ‘playing with fire’ after latest military aid for Taiwan

The Chinese government protested Sunday the latest American announcements of military sales and assistance to Taiwan , warning the United States that it is “playing with fire.”

U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday authorized the provision of up to $571 million in Defense Department material and services and in military education and training for Taiwan. Separately, the Defense Department said Friday that $295 million in military sales had been approved.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry statement urged the U.S. to stop arming Taiwan and stop what it called “dangerous moves that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”

Taiwan is a democratic island of 23 million people that the Chinese government claims as its territory and says must come under its control. U.S. military sales and assistance aim to help Taiwan defend itself and deter China from launching an attack.

The $571 million in military assistance comes on top of Biden’s authorization of $567 million for the same purposes in late September. The military sales include $265 million for about 300 tactical radio systems and $30 million for 16 gun mounts.

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the approval of the two sales, saying in a social media post on X that it reaffirmed the U.S. government’s “commitment to our defense.”

中国政府周日抗议美国最新宣布向台湾出售和提供军事援助，并警告美国这是“玩火”。

美国总统拜登周六授权向台湾提供价值高达5.71亿美元的国防部物资和服务，以及军事教育和训练。此外，国防部周五表示，已批准2.95亿美元的对台军售。

中国外交部发表声明，敦促美国停止向台湾提供武器，并停止其所谓的“破坏台海和平稳定的危险举动”。

台湾是一个拥有2300万人口的民主岛屿，中国政府声称对其拥有主权，并要求将其置于其控制之下。美国对台湾的军事销售和援助旨在帮助台湾自卫，并阻止中国发动攻击。

这笔5.71亿美元的军事援助是在拜登9月下旬批准的5.67亿美元用于相同用途的援助之外的额外拨款。军售项目包括价值2.65亿美元的约300套战术无线电系统和价值3000万美元的16个枪架。

台湾外交部对这两项军售的批准表示欢迎，并在社交媒体X上发帖称，这重申了美国政府“对我国国防的承诺”。