The mandate, which Reuters on Monday reported was at hand, arrived after Congress passed laws approving the deal.
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The US has said in the past that it will defend Taiwan in case of a possible military invasion by China. “We remain committed to our one-China policy”, he added.
The massive contract comes at a time of reconciliation between China and Taiwan – separated since 1949 – but also of worries by Washington that Beijing is “militarising” part of the South China Sea.
The brand new sales come at a period of heightened tensions between America and China over the South China Sea -made islands to maintain territorial claims that were grand.
“In order to safeguard the nation’s interests, the Chinese side has chose to take necessary measures, including the imposition of sanctions against companies participating in the arms sale to Taiwan”, Zheng said, according to a statement posted on the ministry’s website.
The U.S. arms sales to Taiwan blatantly violate the three joint communiques signed by China and the U.S., especially the one signed on August 17, 1982, under which the U.S. agrees to gradually reduce and eventually stop its shipment of weapons to Taiwan.
“As a matter of policy, the Department of State does not comment on proposed defense sales or transfers until they have been formally notified to Congress”, said State Department spokesman David McKeeby in reply to a CNA question on the arm sales on Tuesday.
Asked about opposition to the deal yesterday, Mr Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said it was a purely commercial issue.
“China resolutely opposes the sale of weapons to Taiwan by the U.S.”, Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang said in a meeting with Washington’s second-highest ranking diplomat in Beijing.
However, previous Chinese sanction threats have not been followed up by Beijing.
“This is something we’ve done through successive administrations and we’ve had an unending support for Taiwan being able to maintain its defensive capability”, Davis said. “This is nothing new….”
“There’s no need for it to have any derogatory effect on our relationship with China”, Kirby told reporters. He declined to elaborate.
Under the deal, the USA will sell to Taiwan two Perry-class guided-missile frigates, anti-tank missiles, AAV-7 Amphibious Assault Vehicles, Stinger surface-to-air missiles and other military equipment.
The State Department said the frigates were being offered as surplus items at a cost of $190 million. The bundle also contains $416 million of firearms, upgrade kits, support and ammo for Raytheon’s Close-in Weapons System.
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The sale has been cheered by Republicans who have called for such sales to be made more regular.
