China urged the United States on Saturday to immediately cease arming Taiwan and to halt actions that threaten peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

The statement came in response to a reporter's query regarding the U.S. Defense Department's October 26 announcement that the U.S. State Department has approved $1.988 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, including the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and radar systems.

The U.S. arms sales to Taiwan severely violate the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. Joint Communiques, particularly the August 17 Communique of 1982, the spokesperson said. The sales infringe on China's sovereignty and security interests, harm China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, and send a gravely wrong message to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.

China strongly condemns and firmly opposes these sales and has lodged solemn representations with the U.S., the spokesperson noted.

The spokesperson added that the U.S. decision to arm Taiwan as part of an effort to contain China and advance a "Taiwan independence" agenda contradicts U.S. leaders' commitment not to support "Taiwan independence" and undermines efforts to stabilize China-U.S. relations.

China urges the United States to stop arming Taiwan and cease any actions that destabilize the Taiwan Straits. The spokesperson emphasized that China will take resolute countermeasures and all necessary actions to firmly defend its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.

(Cover: The Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, China's Taiwan region. /CFP)