TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China accused the United States of turning Taiwan into an “ammunition depot” after the White House announced a $345 million military aid package for Taipei, and the self-ruled island said Sunday it tracked six Chinese navy ships in waters off its shores.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office issued a statement late Saturday opposing the military aid to Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.

“No matter how much of the ordinary people’s taxpayer money the … Taiwanese separatist forces spend, no matter how many U.S. weapons, it will not shake our resolve to solve the Taiwan problem. Or shake our firm will to realize the reunification of our motherland,” said Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office.

“Their actions are turning Taiwan into a powder keg and ammunition depot, aggravating the threat of war in the Taiwan Strait,” the statement said.

China’s People’s Liberation Army has increased its military maneuvers in recent years aimed at Taiwan, sending fighter jets and warships to circle the island.

On Sunday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said it tracked six Chinese navy ships near the island.

Taiwan’s ruling administration, led by the Democratic Progressive Party, has stepped up its weapons purchases from the U.S. as part of a deterrence strategy against a Chinese invasion.

China and Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949, and Taiwan has never been governed by China’s ruling Communist Party.

Unlike previous military purchases, the latest batch of aid is part of a presidential authority approved by the U.S. Congress last year to draw weapons from current U.S. military stockpiles — so Taiwan will not have to wait for military production and sales.

While Taiwan has purchased $19 billion worth of weaponry, much of it has yet to be delivered to Taiwan. Washington will send man-portable air defense systems, intelligence and surveillance capabilities, firearms and missiles to Taiwan.

  • wanderingmagus@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Don’t worry, we have contingency plans in place to ensure any attempts at a blockade will militarily fail. Why do you think strategic nuclear submarines openly ported in South Korea and Australia recently?

    • Move to lemm.ee@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I don’t think they’re stupid enough to get involved. But if they do we all either die in nuclear hell or die from starvation afterwards.

      • xzite@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Don’t underestimate the “stupidity” of authoritarian regimes.

        Like we’ve seen with Russia the information that leaders base their decisions on do not necessarily reflect reality in any way. China could very well start WW3 by invading Taiwain based on the false pretenses that everyone would just capitulate and totally be on their side like Russian leadership thought would happen in Ukraine.

      • wanderingmagus@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        If you ever get the clearance, look up the global campaign plans and prioritized regional objectives for INDOPACOM.

        • Move to lemm.ee@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I do not give a damn about your fantasy world war plans lmao. The notion that anyone “wins” afterwards is so blatantly absurd that it feels like I’m talking to a cartoon character.