Syria isn’t the only area of the world with escalating violence. In Asia, the Chinese have stated that they will use military action to stop any attempts to support of Taiwan, through U.S. weapons sales to the island nation.

The Chinese Ministry of Defense blasted the State Department’s recent decision to grant U.S. firms the marketing license to sell Taiwan technology necessary for building submarines. The move came at a tense time for U.S.-Chinese relations as President Donald Trump slapped new tariffs on his economic rival, prompting Beijing to do the same. Both sides warned of a potential trade war.

“China firmly opposes the U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, this is clear-cut and consistent. Taiwan is a part of China. One-China principle serves as the political foundation for the China-U.S. ties,” ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Wu Qian said, according to the official China Military Online.

“China’s military has the ability and determination to defeat all attempts to separate our country, and will adopt all necessary measures to resolutely defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity,” he added.

As part of the One China Policy adopted by the U.S. in 1972, Washington only recognizes China’s mainland government. A civil war saw Communist fighters force the Nationalist Kuomintang leadership into exile in Taiwan, which China claims to be part of its republic. Trump has challenged this notion and controversially accepted a congratulatory call from the Taiwanese president shortly after winning the November 2016 election.

China’s Foreign Ministry urged the United States to avoid official contacts with Taiwan, end attempts to substantially improve relations and stop military contracts for arms sales “so that China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Straits will not be severely damaged,” spokesman Geng Shuang said Monday during a regular press conference.

Trump’s reversal of the existing policy and his decision to sell arms to Taiwan is a huge sticking point with the Chinese who are on the verge of major expansion. They recently set up their first military base outside their territory in Djibouti and now have plans for another in Vanuatu among others.

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