China's military will step up training and "take forceful measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," its defense ministry said on Friday in response to a planned $11.1 billion US arms sales package to Taiwan.
The ministry urges the US to "immediately cease arms sales to Taiwan" and "concretely abide by its commitment not to support 'Taiwan independence' forces," according to a statement the ministry released on its Chinese social media account.
"Taiwan separatist forces... are using the hard-earned money of ordinary people to fatten US arms dealers," the statement added.
The Trump administration announced on Wednesday $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, the largest ever US weapons package for the island.
The Taiwan arms sale announcement is the second under US President Donald Trump's current administration, and comes as Beijing ramps up its military and diplomatic pressure against Taiwan, whose government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims.
The proposed arms sales cover eight items, including HIMARS rocket systems, howitzers, Javelin anti-tank missiles, Altius loitering munition drones and parts for other equipment, Taiwan's defense ministry said in a statement.
"The United States continues to assist Taiwan in maintaining sufficient self-defense capabilities and in rapidly building strong deterrent power and leveraging asymmetric warfare advantages, which form the foundation for maintaining regional peace and stability," it added.
The package must be approved by the US Congress, where Taiwan has widespread cross-party support.
In a series of separate statements announcing details of the weapons deal, the Pentagon said the arms sales serve US national, economic and security interests by supporting Taiwan's continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and to maintain a "credible defensive capability."
Pushed by the United States, Taiwan has been working to transform its armed forces to be able to wage "asymmetric warfare," using mobile, smaller and often cheaper weapons which still pack a targeted punch, like drones.
"Our country will continue to promote defence reforms, strengthen whole-of-society defence resilience, demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves, and safeguard peace through strength," Taiwan presidential office spokesperson Karen Kuo said in a statement, thanking the United States for the sales.
