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BEIJING, May 16 -- Attempts of the US side to turn back the wheel of history on the Taiwan question are absolutely intolerable, said Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, when responding to media questions on Tuesday.
It is reported that according to a source, the US government plans to provide US$500 million worth of weapons aid to Taiwan through Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA). And the US military has recently sent more than 100 service members to Taiwan to help train local troops, learn about the strengths and weaknesses of local military training model, and offer relevant advices.
When asked to comment on such US moves, Tan pointed out that for some time, the US has stepped up its military collusion with the DPP authorities by strengthening military contacts and upgrading substantive relations between the two sides, which has shaken the foundation of the China-US relations and undermined the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to these wrong and dangerous moves, and has lodged solemn representations with the US side.
Then, he stressed that the Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests, and remains the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations. The "Three Principles", namely, severing so-called “diplomatic relations”, abrogating the “mutual defense treaty” with the Taiwan authorities and withdrawing US military forces from Taiwan, are the preconditions for the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US.
“We sternly warn the US side to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués, fulfill its commitment of not supporting ‘Taiwan independence’, and stop any forms of military collusion with Taiwan,” he said. “And, we sternly warn the DPP authorities and the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces that any attempt to seek independence by soliciting US support or by force will lead to nowhere.”
In the end, Tan reiterated that the Chinese PLA will continue to strengthen military training and combat readiness, firmly crush "Taiwan independence" attempts and external interference in any form, and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
