BEIJING, June 7. /TASS/. China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been stepping up military training amid US arms supplies to Taiwan, Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang said while commenting on Washington's plans for sending to Taipei another batch of US spare parts for F-16 fighter jets.

"The sale of weapons by the United States to the Taiwan region is a serious violation of the 'One China' principle and the three Sino-US communiques (documents that played a crucial role in the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US - TASS)," Zhang said in a statement posted on the Chinese military ministry's WeChat social network page. "China insists that the US should immediately abandon the said plan of military supplies."

As the Defense Ministry spokesman clarified, Beijing had already strongly protested over that matter and made a serious warning to the US authorities, who should "stop arming Taiwan by any means" and take "real steps for the sake of preserving the current situation in inter-army relations between China and the United States."

"The PLA continues to strengthen military training of soldiers and preparations for military operations," he added.

According to Zhang, the Chinese army will be "resolutely defending the national sovereignty and territorial integrity" of its country.

He recalled that the Taiwan issue was a paramount red line in China-US relations, which the US should never cross.

The Defense Ministry’s spokesman noted that attempts to support Taiwan's separatists would only increase tensions and gradually push the island "into a dangerous situation." Ultimately, he said, this would backfire on Washington.

US military supplies to Taiwan

The US Department of Defense's Security Cooperation Agency has reported that the US Department of State had approved a possible $300 million sale of F-16 fighter jet parts to Taiwan. Congress has 30 days to consider the potential deal and possibly block it. The Taiwanese Air Force has about 140 F-16 fighter jets in service.

Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the remaining Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled to the island after being defeated in China's civil war. Since then, Taiwan has preserved the flag and some other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed in mainland China before the Communists came to power. Beijing regards the island as one of its provinces and this position is supported by most countries, including Russia. While professing the "One China" policy, the United States continues to maintain relations with the Taipei administration and supply the island with military hardware.