A Chinese military spokesperson on Friday voiced firm opposition to the U.S. arms sales plan to Taiwan region, urging the U.S. side to immediately drop the plan and stop military contact with the island.

"We demand that the U.S. stop selling arms to Taiwan, stop military contact with Taiwan, stop meddling in the Taiwan question and exacerbating tensions across the Taiwan Straits," said Tan Kefei, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense in response to the U.S. approval of a potential sale of $619 million in new weapons to Taiwan that includes missiles for its F-16 fleet.

Tan said the U.S. arms sales to Taiwan is a gross interference in China's internal affairs and a serious violation of the one-China principle, and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, especially the August 17 Communique. The move damages China's sovereignty and security interests, and threatens the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

"The Chinese People's Liberation Army is always on standby to counter all provocations of 'independence' and interference by external forces, and to resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Tan added.

(Cover: File photo of Tan Kefei. /China's Ministry of National Defense)