Taiwan’s president has dismissed Beijing’s announcement it will impose sanctions on US firms involved in the latest arms sale to the island, a move analysts said was a warning to businesses on the issue. President Tsai Ing-wen, during an unofficial stopover in New York on Friday, said Taiwan was buying US weapons to “enhance national defence in order to protect our democracy and contribute to regional peace and stability”.
“We don’t need our neighbour to make irresponsible remarks like that,” she told reporters, after giving a speech at Columbia University. Tsai was referring to Beijing’s statement earlier on Friday that the arms sale had violated China’s territorial sovereignty and national security. Beijing said it would issue sanctions against the American companies involved in the latest US$2.2 billion arms sale to Taiwan, which it sees as a breakaway province to be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary.
“We don’t need our neighbour to make irresponsible remarks like that,” she told reporters, after giving a speech at Columbia University. Tsai was referring to Beijing’s statement earlier on Friday that the arms sale had violated China’s territorial sovereignty and national security. Beijing said it would issue sanctions against the American companies involved in the latest US$2.2 billion arms sale to Taiwan, which it sees as a breakaway province to be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary.
