China has warned that approval in Washington for an aid package to three US allies – Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan – risks increasing tensions.
China was particularly irked by the assistance provided to Taiwan. Wang Wenbin, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said: ‘I’d like to emphasize that the United States and Taiwan strengthening military ties will not bring about security for Taiwan.’
The aid package would ‘only increase tensions and the risk of conflict across the Taiwan Strait.’
Another spokesperson for the Chinese state said that the package would send ‘a wrong signal’ to pro-independence forces in Taiwan.
Taiwanese leaders, meanwhile, were appreciative of the assistance. Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s current president, said that she was ‘happy’ the measures had been approved. The island democracy’s president-elect, Lai Ching-te, indicated that the measures would ‘strengthen the deterrence against authoritarianism in the West Pacific ally chain’, and would contribute to ‘peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.’
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