On 30 January 2010, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, who was on an official visit to Cyprus, stated China’s solemn position on the announced US arms sales to Taiwan.

Yang Jiechi stated, China has made representations to the US side repeatedly over the recent period on the issue of arms sales to Taiwan. In his recent meeting with the US Secretary of State in London, he once again made clear China’s solemn position on this issue, and urged the US side to fully recognize the great harm of arms sales to Taiwan and stop selling arms to Taiwan.

Yang Jiechi pointed out that in disregard of the strong opposition and repeated representations by the Chinese side, the US side blatantly announced its decision to sell a total of nearly US$6.4 billion worth of arms to Taiwan. The US move constitutes a serious violation of the principles enshrined in the three Sino-US Joint Communiqués, especially the August 17th Communiqué, and a gross violation of China’s internal affairs. It will seriously jeopardize China’s national security and undermine China’s reunification. It also goes against the US statement on supporting peaceful development of cross-Straits relations. The Chinese side hereby expresses its firm opposition.

Yang Jiechi stressed that the US side should take China’s position seriously, truly respect China’s core interests and major concerns, immediately cancel the wrong decision and stop selling arms to Taiwan so as not to undermine the overall interests of China-US relations.