China is raping the US over its arms deal with Taiwan

(UPDATE) BEIJING — China has attacked the latest round of US arms sales to Taiwan and vowed to take “all necessary measures” to assert its sovereignty over the self-governing island it claims as its own.

The US State Department on Friday approved a $2 billion arms sales package for Taiwan, including advanced surface-to-air missile systems and radar.

The deal awaits approval by Congress.

Taipei’s Defense Ministry on Saturday expressed its “sincere gratitude” for the sale, saying it would “help the military continue to improve its defensive resilience and jointly maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”

Beijing’s Foreign Ministry responded in a statement late on Saturday, saying the latest weapons package “seriously violates China’s sovereignty and security interests, seriously harms China-US relations and endangers peace and stability” in the strait.

“China strongly condemns and strongly opposes it, and has lodged solemn representations with the US,” a ministry spokesperson said.

It added that Beijing would “take all necessary measures to firmly defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.”

China has refused to rule out the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.

Beijing has an almost daily presence with fighter jets, drones and warships around the democratic island, and has held large-scale war games in the area this month.

Meanwhile, China deployed fighter jets and drones on Sunday as part of a “joint combat readiness patrol” around Taiwan, Taipei said, hours after Beijing denounced the latest round of US arms sales to the island.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it detected 19 Chinese aircraft, including fighter jets and drones, near the island on Sunday over a period of nearly four hours as part of Beijing’s “joint combat readiness patrol” with warships.

It was the third such patrol reported by Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense this month.

“Taiwan’s military closely monitored the situation with joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, deploying aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems in appropriate response,” the ministry said.

China claims Taiwan as part of its own territory and has refused to rule out the use of force to bring the island under its control.

Beijing has an almost daily presence with fighter jets, drones and warships around the democratic island, and has held large-scale war games in the area this month.

Earlier this month, Taiwan spotted a record 153 Chinese aircraft in one day.

The US is Taipei’s main partner and arms supplier, despite having no official diplomatic ties with the democratic island.

In September, Beijing sanctioned U.S. defense companies in retaliation for Washington’s approval of military equipment sales to Taiwan.