CaliToday (18/12/2025): Tensions between Washington and Beijing have spiked once again after China issued a furious condemnation regarding the United States' latest approval of a massive arms package to Taiwan.
The deal, approved on December 17 and valued at approximately $10 billion (exceeding 1,500 billion JPY), has drawn a sharp rebuke from Chinese officials, who describe the move as a dangerous provocation striking at the heart of Sino-US relations.
The Hardware: A Significant Boost for Asymmetric Warfare
According to the US Department of State, the newly approved package is designed to bolster Taiwan’s defensive capabilities against potential amphibious operations or blockades. The sale reportedly includes high-profile combat systems that have gained global prominence in recent years:
HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems): Long-range, precision-strike mobile artillery capable of targeting hostile forces from significant distances.
Javelin Anti-Tank Missiles: Portable "fire-and-forget" systems designed to neutralize armored vehicles.
Military analysts suggest this package aligns with the "porcupine strategy" an effort to make Taiwan difficult and costly to attack by equipping it with mobile, resilient, and lethal defensive weaponry.
Beijing’s Response: "The Core of Core Interests"
The reaction from Beijing was immediate and scathing. Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, issued a statement expressing that China "firmly opposes and strongly condemns" the US decision.
Mr. Guo warned that by approving this sale, the United States is sending a "wrong signal" to separatist forces advocating for Taiwan’s independence, a move that Beijing claims severely undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
In a rhetoric reflecting the gravity of the situation, the spokesperson emphasized that the Taiwan question is not merely a diplomatic dispute but is "the core of core interests" for China. He described it as the absolute "red line" in China-US relations that must not be crossed.
Warning Against Containment
The statement concluded with a stern warning regarding Washington's broader geopolitical strategy. The Foreign Ministry asserted that any attempt to "use Taiwan to contain China will never succeed," suggesting that Beijing sees these arms sales as part of a larger US strategy to hinder China’s rise rather than merely a defensive measure for the island.
As the US continues to adhere to its Taiwan Relations Act which mandates that Washington provide Taipei with the means to defend itself and China continues to assert its sovereignty over the island, this latest $10 billion exchange marks another volatile chapter in the complex relationship between the world’s two largest superpowers.