US-Taiwan arms sale: China threatens retaliation

"The United States seriously violates the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués, especially the August 17 Communiqué, by selling arms to the Taiwan region," Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, told reporters.

"It seriously interferes in China's internal affairs, seriously harms China's sovereignty and security interests, sends out gravely wrong signals to Taiwan independence forces and severely undermines China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China firmly opposes it," he said.

"China urges the US side to fully recognize the very damaging nature of arms sales to Taiwan, abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués, stop arms sales to and military ties with the Taiwan region, cancel its arms sales plans to avoid further harming China-US relations and cross-strait peace and stability. China will make a legitimate and necessary reaction in the light of the development of the situation," he said.

Taiwan is a self-ruled Island which Beijing claims to be its own.

The relationship between China and the US has touched a new low in recent times over numerous issues including the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

The virus is said to have spread from Wuhan city in China last year.