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BEIJING:  China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will thwart any attempts by Taiwanese separatists to isolate themselves from China by means...

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BEIJING:  China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will thwart any attempts by Taiwanese separatists to isolate themselves from China by means of buying weapons from Washington, Chinese Defense Ministry Spokesperson Senior Colonel Tan Kefei said on Tuesday.

The PLA will ramp up its preparations for war, he added.

Commenting on Washington’s plan to supply $500 million worth of weapons to Taipei, Tan said, "The PLA continues to intensify military training in preparation for war. We will resolutely crush separatist aspirations for the so-called movement for Taiwan’s independence as well as external attempts at any interference."

The spokesperson emphasized that the Chinese army "will firmly defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its country." "We are warning the Democratic Progressive Party [ruling in Taiwan] and separatist forces that attempts to isolate the island from mainland China with American weapons will lead them into a blind alley," he warned.

The Taiwanese issue should be considered as a red line in relations between China and the United States that should never be crossed, Tan warned.

On instructions from US President Joe Biden, Washington is getting ready to expedite the delivery of weapons to the tune of $500 million to Taiwan, using the same fast-track authority as to speed arms to Ukraine, Bloomberg reported earlier this month. In line with the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, the US president has the authority to spend as much as $1 billion on a military assistance package for Taiwan.

The United States severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979 and established relations with China. While recognizing the "One China" policy, Washington simultaneously continues to maintain contact with the Taipei administration and supplies the island with weaponry. Tensions in the Taiwan Strait region seriously escalated after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island in August 2022, which triggered sharp criticism from Beijing.

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