China has spoken out against a U.S. defense bill passed recently which includes a provision calling for yearly military exchanges with Taiwan, which Beijing sees as a breakaway province.
China said “What the U.S. Congress has done has interfered with China’s domestic affairs, undermined the cross-Straits stability, infringed upon China’s sovereignty and security and would finally harm the interests of the U.S.”
China urged the United States to “correct their mistakes”, and that China retains the right to “take further action” in response to the adoption of the bill.
Background:
The bill, which overwhelmingly passed the U.S. Senate and now awaits President Obama’s signature, advises the Secretary of Defense to “conduct a program of senior military exchanges between the United States and Taiwan”, and also calls for a briefing by February on the feasibility of U.S. port calls in the Pacific by Taiwanese forces.
Military exercises between Taiwan and the United States are not new, as the bill notes, but should Obama sign this legislature into law it could lead to high-level exchanges involving senior military leaders from both countries.
Under the Taiwan Relations Act, which the U.S. Congress passed in 1979, the United States has routinely provided weapons and military equipment to bolster its self defense.
The National Defense Authorization act (NDAA), an annual defense policy bill, also includes a $3.2 billion increase in military spending.