Beijing vowed to take "all necessary measures" to assert its sovereignty over Taiwan after the latest round of US arms sales to the self-ruled island which China claims as its own.

The US State Department on Friday approved a $2 billion (€1.85 billion) arms sale package for Taiwan which includes surface-to-air missile systems and radar.

China vows countermeasures over Taiwan arms deal

The latest arms package "seriously violates China's sovereignty and security interests, seriously damages China-US relations, and endangers peace and stability" in the strait, Beijing's foreign ministry said in a statement late Saturday.

"China strongly condemns and firmly opposes it, and has lodged solemn representations with the US," a ministry spokesperson said. The ministry called on the US to immediately stop arming Taiwan.

It added that Beijing would "take resolute countermeasures and take all necessary measuresto firmly defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity."

China has previously refused to rule out using force to bring Taiwan under its control. 

Taiwan welcomes $2 billion arms deal

While the deal still has to be approved by Congress, Taipei's Defense Ministry on Saturday said it would "help the military continue to improve its defense resilience and jointly maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."

Although the US does not maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, it is obliged by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself from a Chinese attack. Under the Biden administration alone, there have been 17 arms sales to Taiwan.

"In the face of China's threats, Taiwan is duty-bound to protect its homeland, and will continue to demonstrate its determination to defend itself," the Tawainese Defense Ministry said.

Earlier in October, Taiwan said it detected 153 Chinese military aircraft and 14 navy ships around the island — which the defense ministry called a single-day record — as China conducted a major war drill. Beijing said the exercise should serve as a warning against "separatist acts." 

mk/ab (AFP, Reuters)