BEIJING, December 26. /TASS/. US-provided Abrams tanks in Taiwan will not help the island in case of an armed conflict and will only serve as a "moving target," Chinese Defense Ministry Spokesman Zhang Xiaogang said.

"Efforts to ingratiate themselves with the US in the pursuit of independence and forceful refusal of reunification are doomed to fail. A few pieces of US military equipment will not present a lifeline, just a moving target on the battlefield," he said at a news conference.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army will comprehensively strengthen military training to prevent a separatist plot by supporters of Taiwan independence and interference by outside forces, according to the spokesman.

Taiwan's defense ministry said on December 16 that the first shipment of 38 Abrams M1A2T tanks had arrived on the island. It is part of the sale of 108 Abrams M1A2T tanks to Taiwan for $2.2 billion that was approved by the US State Department in 2019. The M1A2T is a System Enhancement Package version 2 of the M1A2 main battle tank, upgraded in accordance with Taiwan's requests. Taiwan's tank fleet currently stands at 1,000 combat vehicles, mostly of obsolete types.

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. Beijing regards the island as one of its provinces. The US severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979 and established them with the PRC. While recognizing the "one China" policy, Washington continues to maintain contact with the Taipei administration. The US is Taiwan's main arms supplier.