US Taiwan Patriot Sales... China Urges "Stop Playing with Fire"

Criticism of Taiwan's DPP: "Colluding with External Forces to Provoke Independence"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Je-hoon] As the United States decided to sell Patriot missile air defense systems worth about 95 million dollars to Taiwan, China protested, saying "Stop playing with fire on the Taiwan issue," according to the Chinese state-run Xinhua News Agency on the 6th.

According to the report, Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China, stated at a press conference, "Selling weapons to Taiwan seriously violates the One-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiques."

Spokesperson Ma also criticized the Democratic Progressive Party regime in Taiwan, saying, "They are colluding with foreign forces, provoking independence, and trying to buy weapons with the hard-earned money of Taiwanese compatriots to seek political gains by refusing unification by force."

Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also said at a briefing on the same day, "The United States must stop arms sales to Taiwan," and "China will resolutely safeguard its national sovereignty and security interests."