BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
China’s foreign minister sharply criticized a record-setting United States arms sale to Taiwan on Tuesday, as Beijing pressed ahead with a second day of large-scale military exercises around the self-governed island, underscoring rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
Speaking at an end-of-year diplomatic gathering in Beijing, Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered the strongest public response so far from China’s leadership to the U.S. weapons package, while also taking aim at what he described as “pro-independence forces” in Taiwan and warning Japan against what he called provocative actions.
Wang said the arms sale and political signals from Taipei represented continued challenges to China’s sovereignty claims and demanded a firm response. He reaffirmed Beijing’s long-standing position that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China and stressed that the country remains committed to what he termed “complete reunification.”
“In response to the continuous provocations by pro-independence forces in Taiwan and the large-scale U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, we must resolutely oppose them and respond forcefully,” Wang said, framing the issue as a core national interest while reviewing China’s diplomatic activities over the past year.
Taiwan, a democratically governed island that separated from mainland China after the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims. Its government maintains that the island has never been ruled by the Communist Party and that its future should be decided by its own people.
The U.S. arms package, announced earlier this month and valued at more than $11 billion, is the largest such sale to Taiwan to date. It includes advanced missiles, drones, artillery systems and military software aimed at strengthening the island’s defensive capabilities. While Washington does not formally recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state, U.S. law requires it to help the island maintain the ability to defend itself.
President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Taiwan to expand its defense spending, at times suggesting the island should devote a significantly higher share of its economic output to military readiness. The move has been welcomed by some in Taiwan as a sign of continued U.S. backing, but it has drawn fierce opposition from Beijing, which sees any military support for Taipei as interference in its internal affairs.
China’s response came swiftly, with the People’s Liberation Army launching military drills around Taiwan that included naval and air forces operating in waters and airspace near the island. Analysts say the exercises are intended both as a warning to Taipei and Washington and as a demonstration of Beijing’s growing military capabilities.
The drills have also been widely interpreted as a message to Japan, following remarks last month by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that suggested Tokyo could become involved if a conflict erupted over Taiwan. Wang accused Japan’s leaders of undermining regional stability and challenged what he described as a failure to fully reckon with Japan’s wartime past.
“Japan, which once launched a war of aggression against China, has yet to fully reflect on the serious crimes it committed,” Wang said. “Some of its current leaders are openly challenging China’s territorial sovereignty, the historical conclusions of World War II and the postwar international order.” He added that Beijing must remain alert to any signs of a revival of Japanese militarism.
Beyond the Taiwan issue, Wang used his address to outline China’s broader diplomatic agenda and its growing ambition to shape international affairs. He referenced the ongoing war in Gaza, expressing support for global efforts to secure a ceasefire while arguing that the underlying political issues must not be ignored.
“The world still owes justice to Palestine,” Wang said, insisting that the Palestinian issue should not once again be pushed to the margins of international attention. He reiterated China’s support for a two-state solution, under which Israel and a future Palestinian state would exist side by side, and noted that Beijing maintains relations with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Wang also highlighted China’s position on the war in Ukraine, saying Beijing continues to advocate for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. While China presents itself as neutral, it has maintained close ties with Moscow through high-level visits and joint military activities, prompting skepticism from Western governments about its impartiality.
In Asia, Wang pointed to China’s recent role in facilitating talks between Thailand and Cambodia, saying his mediation between the two countries’ top diplomats helped reinforce a ceasefire after months of border tensions.
Taken together, the initiatives reflect Beijing’s push to position itself as a key diplomatic broker, particularly in regional conflicts. As China’s economic and political influence has expanded over the past decade, it has increasingly sought to play a more active role as an intermediary in global and regional disputes, projecting itself as an alternative power center in international diplomacy.
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