BEIJING, December 8. /TASS/. Washington's arms sales to the island of Taiwan are a serious violation of the Sino-US agreements, and also threaten peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a news briefing on Thursday.

"The sale of arms by the United States to the Chinese region of Taiwan is a flagrant violation of the ‘one China’ principle and runs counter to the three joint Sino-US communiques, in particular the communique of August 17, 1982. The arms supplies undermine sovereignty and security, threaten peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and send a false message to Taiwan's separatist forces," Mao said.

She called on the United States to return to the "one China" principle and abandon the practice of using the Taiwan issue to contain China.

Earlier, on December 7, the US Department of State approved a possible sale of about $430 million worth of aircraft parts and components and other equipment to Taiwan, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Tuesday. The agency is responsible for the supply of military equipment and weapons abroad under intergovernmental contracts.

Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the Kuomintang’s remaining forces headed by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) were defeated in the Chinese Civil War and took refuge on the island. Taiwan has preserved the flag and several other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed before the Communists took over the mainland. According to China’s official position supported by most countries, including Russia, the Island of Taiwan is one of China’s provinces.