Pressure has been put on the United States! On May 21, according to a report by the UK's Financial Times, sources familiar with the matter revealed that Beijing has informed Washington that China will not approve the visit of a senior U.S. defense policy official to China before Donald Trump decides whether to proceed with arms sales to Taiwan worth hundreds of billions of dollars. The sources added that China has clearly communicated to the U.S. side: given the unclear stance of the Trump administration on arms sales to Taiwan, this visit, originally scheduled for June, is "inopportune."

The British media noted that Trump had referred to arms sales to Taiwan as a "very powerful bargaining chip" and refused to commit to approving a $14 billion arms package, stating he would first assess China’s position. For its part, Beijing has consistently made clear that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan represent a core red line for China. Clearly, our refusal to allow a U.S. military delegation to visit China indicates what? It shows we are clearly exerting pressure on the Taiwan issue.

Trump intends to use arms sales as leverage, but we are undoubtedly closely monitoring America’s posture. The situation is crystal clear: during Sino-U.S. talks, we have explicitly drawn the red lines for the U.S., and the U.S. is fully aware of our red lines. If the U.S. persists in arms sales despite knowing our red lines, this would be a major shock to the stability of Sino-U.S. relations. The facts prove it: we absolutely do not tolerate America’s double-dealing behavior—seeking cooperation while simultaneously infringing upon China’s sovereignty.

Pausing high-level defense exchanges sends a very clear signal to the United States: there is no room for compromise on the Taiwan issue, and arms sales to Taiwan are absolutely not negotiable. In fact, after the visit concludes, the U.S. government’s ability to fulfill its commitments will be a key focus for us. If the U.S. handles things carelessly, whether the outcomes of the Sino-U.S. talks can be fully implemented will undoubtedly be questionable!

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865758700872714/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.