The Definitive US Defense Expenditure Bill Expands China Retreat

China hit a bill on US defense spending that includes a plan for forging closer ties with Taiwan, saying the legislation would hurt Sino-US relations and undermine cross-strait relations.

Congress is preparing to pbad the 2019 Defense Approval Bill, which includes provisions to reduce China's influence. to push back against the nation more and more badertive. Specifically, he calls on the Pentagon to take a more proactive role in badessing and strengthening Taiwan's ability to withstand an invasion of China, which views the island democratically as a province.

China would also be permanently banned from Rim of the Pacific naval exercises – the largest exercises of its kind in the world every two years – unless it reverses its military activities on reefs and rocks. the South China Sea disputed. China says most waters are its sovereign territory, despite a ruling issued in 2016 by an international court that declared the country's claim to have no legal status

"Si these contents are put into law, between China and the United States, bilateral exchanges and cooperation in many areas, and stability across the strait, "said the spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs , Geng Shuang. "We urge the United States to abandon its cold-war mentality and zero-sum thinking, to immediately remove these negative contents and to safeguard instead of disrupting the stable development of bilateral ties."

The publication of the bill coincides with trade war as US President Donald Trump imposes billions of dollars of duties on Chinese products to counter what he says are unfair practices that have resulted a huge trade imbalance with the United States

since he's accepted a congratulatory phone call from President Tsai Ing-wen after his election and questioned the principle of "one China only" underpinning China and the United States. reports. Since then, the United States has approved $ 1.3 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, and Trump has signed legislation to encourage senior US officials to visit the United States. island, a decision that would increase its diplomatic status. The United States has also agreed to provide technology for the underwater construction program of the island

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In an address to the Chinese parliament, President Xi Jinping warned that efforts to expand divisions with Taiwan would be "punished by history". ordered all airlines to stop talking about Taiwan and the former colonies of Hong Kong and Macao, which the White House called "Orwellian nonsense".

The Defense Bill proposes that strengthen its forces, expand its military commitment and conduct "timely" sales of US military equipment to Taiwan. He also suggests that the Ministry of Defense consider sending a US hospital ship to Taiwan as part of the annual Pacific Partnership naval exercises.

The Global Times newspaper, run by the Communist Party, sometimes takes more hawkish stances. The United States and Taiwan should maintain their interactions within the limits of management. "With regard to joint US-Taiwanese military exercises, port visits to the island by US warships, high-level exchanges between the two countries." The two senior US military officials who wander through Taiwan streets as in South Korea should not even think about it, "said the article." It is believed that the White House would not be so silly as to think that it can do something big in terms of Taiwan. The island is the main interest of China. "

The Taiwan Presidential Office welcomed the provisions of the bill, claiming that the United States remained the most important ally of the island." Taiwan sincerely thanks the US Congress for its Taiwan's long-standing efforts in favor of security and home affairs, "he added.

The bill must be approved in the House and Senate before being sent to Trump. the White House has not yet issued a statement on this subject, it is unlikely that the President will veto the laws developed by both Houses.