China has urged the United States to withdraw a potential arms sale to Taiwan, expressing strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition.

Geng Shuang, a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, made the remarks at a press conference Tuesday, one day after the U.S. State Department approved the potential 2.2 billion U.S. dollars arms sale to Taiwan.

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The sale is a serious violation of international law and the basic norms governing international relations, said Geng. China strongly condemns the arms sale and has lodged solemn representations with the U.S. side, he added.

The move seriously violated the one-China principle and provisions of the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques, the spokesperson noted, adding that it "rudely" interfered in China's internal affairs and hurt China's sovereignty and security interests.

Geng stressed that Taiwan is an integral part of China, warning that the U.S. should not underestimate China's unwavering determination to maintain sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi also said late Tuesday that potential U.S. arms sales seriously violated the one-China principle and provisions of the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques, and is seriously endangering regional peace and stability.

He urged the U.S. to immediately stop the sales as well as any military connections to Taiwan, so as not to hurt the relationship between the two sides.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office echoed Geng and Yang's comments, adding that the U.S. should immediately stop sending the wrong signal that is going to harm China-U.S. relations, according to the spokesperson Ma Xiaoguang.

Wu Shicun, president of China’s National Institute for South China Sea Studies, explained the Trump administration's motivation behind this move. 

"Since Donald Trump took office, he's been using Taiwan as a card. Taiwan is only one of the tools used by Trump to put extreme pressure on China. As the U.S. is treating China as a rival, the Taiwan issue will be used more often."

Former foreign secretary of Pakistan, Riaz Hussain Khokhar believed that it is a serious problem not only for the bilateral ties, but also for regional security. 

"This is one country. The U.S. should not undermine the situation in the region. I think the arms sale to Taiwan will only escalate the tension. That’s not in the interest of anybody, and particularly, not in the interest of peace and security in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia."

Friction between China and the U.S. continues in other areas, but Wu said the Taiwan issue is fundamentally important. 

"This is a red line. The Taiwan issue is different from the trade war, or the South China Sea issue. Taiwan is within China's core interest, and is a red line that you shouldn't touch. China will definitely react."

Khokhar said as the world's two major countries, healthy relations between China and the U.S. will benefit the whole world. 

"They are two major powers. And the best thing would be if the two countries to cooperate and consult to find solutions, and avoid confrontation, as confrontation is not in the interest of either the U.S. or China. In the long-run, it's important to have good relations between China and the U.S. It's good for Asia, as well as peace and security in the world."

(CGTN's Wang Hui also contributed to the story.)