China on Friday asked the United States to fully recognize the high sensitivity of the Taiwan issue after media reports stated that US troops are secretly deployed on the island, helping train local troops.
“The US should fully recognize the high sensitivity of the Taiwan question, abide by the one-China principle, and stop arms sales to Taiwan island and military contact with it so as not to seriously damage China-US relations and peace and stability across the Straits,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in a daily briefing. China has sent in recent days almost 150 military aircraft close to Taiwan while the US and other allied forces conducted drills in the South China Sea.
Pentagon said on Thursday that the United States has said that its support for and defence relationship with Taiwan remains aligned against the current threat posed by China. This comes after a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report claimed that a US special operation unit and a contingent of Marines have been secretly training military forces in Taiwan to help shore up the country’s defence.
Though Pentagon spokesperson John Supple declined to comment on the specifics of the report, he said that the US support for Taiwan remains “strong, principled, and bipartisan,” in line with his country’s one-China policy and longstanding commitments, Focus Taiwan reported.
The US will continue to support the peaceful resolution of cross-Taiwan Strait issues, consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people on both sides, Supple said.
“The PRC has stepped up efforts to intimidate and pressure Taiwan and other allies and partners, including increasing military activities conducted in the vicinity of Taiwan, East China Sea, and South China Sea, which we believe are destabilizing and increase the risk of miscalculation,” he added.
Since mid-September of last year, Beijing has stepped up its grey-zone tactics by regularly sending planes into Taiwan’s ADIZ, with most instances occurring in the southwest corner of the zone and usually consisting of one to three slow-flying turboprop planes. Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, despite the island’s self-governance for more than seven decades.