China resolutely opposes U.S. arms sales to the Taiwan region and urges the U.S. side to withdraw them immediately, the Chinese Defense Ministry said on Friday.

In response to the U.S. State Department's approval of an estimated $300 million in arms sales to China's Taiwan region, Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry, said that the U.S. violated the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, especially the August 17 Communique, seriously undermined China's sovereignty and security interests, and severely jeopardized peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits. 

Zhang stressed that the Taiwan question is the number one red line that must not be crossed between China and the U.S., and by emboldening "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, the U.S. is gradually pushing Taiwan into a dangerous situation, which will hurt itself eventually.

China urges the U.S. to abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three joint communiques, immediately withdraw the arms sales plan and stop arming Taiwan in any form, Zhang said, adding that the Chinese People's Liberation Army continues to intensify its military training and preparedness to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

(Cover: A file photo of Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry. /Chinese Defense Ministry)