China slashes U.S. "memo" on arms sales to Taiwan

China on Wednesday criticized a so-called "memo" on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, calling it completely wrong and void, and urged the United States to stop selling arms to Taiwan.

It is reported that on Aug. 30, then U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton declassified a "memo" that was sent by then U.S. President Ronald Reagan to his Secretary of State George P. Shultz and Defense Minister Caspar Weinberger after China and the United States issued a joint communique on Aug. 17, 1982. It is stated in the "memo" that "the quality and quantity of the arms provided by the United States to Taiwan depend entirely on the threat posed by China."

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang holds a press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday, September 25, 2019. [Photo: fmprc.gov.cn]

The content of the so-called "memo" seriously violates the one-China principle, the three joint communiques between China and the United States, the basic norms governing international relations and is completely wrong and void, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang told a press briefing, adding that the U.S. side should abide by the three joint communiques instead of the unilateral "memo."

In the joint communique issued in 1982, the U.S. Government stated that it does not seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan, that its arms sales to Taiwan will not exceed, either in qualitative or in quantitative terms, the level of those supplied in recent years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and China and that it intends to gradually reduce its sale of arms to Taiwan, leading, over a period of time, to a final resolution.

"We strongly urge the United States to honor its solemn commitment to China, abide by the one-China principle and the three joint communiques, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, stop selling arms to Taiwan and properly handle related issues so as to avoid further interference and damage to Sino-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan strait," Geng said.