China Demands US Halt $1.42 Billion Arms Sale to Taiwan

Says Deal Violates Agreement Reached Back in April

Chinese officials are expressing outrage today at the announcement of the US planning to sell $1.42 billion in arms to the island of Taiwan, saying that it is “the wrong decision” by the US and sends a wrong message about Taiwan’s status. They are demanding the US immediately halt the sale.

America’s “One China Policy” makes this an annual matter of no small difficulty, as officially the US has a policy of not recognizing Taiwan as a country, but also has a policy of selling them vast amounts of weaponry on an annual basis.

Chinese officials, however, say this was all already discussed at Mar-a-Lago back in April, when President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met for the first time, and that the two had reached “a consensus” which this arms sale is violating.

US officials aren’t offering any clarification on the deal, which centers on ARM missiles and torpedoes. They informed Congress of the deal but so far haven’t acknowledge China’s anger, or the putative Mar-a-Lago Consensus they are accused of violating.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.