WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The US State Department on Friday approved a possible arms sale to Taiwan for $1.1 billion (1.1 billion euros), angering Beijing.
China conducted its biggest military maneuvers around Taiwan last month following a visit by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who said she was showing US support for the democratic island.
Chinese Embassy Washington spokesman Liu Pengyu said in a statement that such an arms sale “greatly jeopardizes relations between the two countries, as well as peace and stability in the Straits. of Taiwan”.
“China will take all necessary and legitimate measures in view of the development of the situation,” he said.
The project must be examined by the American Congress, but Democratic and Republican advisers have estimated that it should not meet with opposition.
(Report Patricia Zengerle and Michael Martina, with contributions from Rami Ayyub, Steve Holland and Ben Blanchard, written by Caitlin Webber; French version Camille Raynaud)