U.S. to continue arms sales to Taiwan: White House official

Washington, Aug. 29 (CNA) The United States will continue to provide defense articles to Taiwan as per its "One China" policy, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Thursday, noting that such an approach has helped foster decades of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Sullivan told a press conference in Beijing that the U.S. arms sales to Taiwan had been consistent with the U.S.' One China policy, an approach he said has "remained true on a bipartisan basis" across multiple U.S. administrations.

The policy "has actually helped contribute to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait for decades, and we intend to keep it that way," said Sullivan, who was visiting China this week to meet with China's leader Xi Jinping (習近平) and other senior Chinese officials.

"Our One China policy has not changed, and our approach to this issue is guided by the One China policy, the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiqués, and the Six Assurances," he said.

The White House official's comments came shortly after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (王毅) raised the issue of arms sales in their two-day talks, according to a readout issued by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday (local time).

Wang was cited as urging Washington to cease arms sales to Taipei and arguing that efforts to push for Taiwanese independence posed "the greatest risk to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."

Since President Joe Biden took office in 2021, the U.S. has announced arms sales to Taiwan 15 times, most recently in June involving US$60.2 million worth of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and related equipment.

According to the White House, the talks between Sullivan and Chinese leaders were part of the efforts by the U.S. and Chinese governments to maintain channels of communication and manage their relations.

The relationship between the U.S. and China remains "competitive" and both sides will have to work to "manage the risks and flashpoints," Sullivan said, mentioning in particular strained cross-Taiwan Strait relations and the tensions in the South China Sea.

Sullivan said he had stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and reaffirmed the U.S.' commitment to its allies in the Indo-Pacific in all his meetings with Chinese leaders.