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The United States has approved a $ 456 million arms deal with Taiwan – a decision that an expert warns, threatening to further ignite relations with China.
The US Department of Defense said selling equipment for F-16 fighters and other aviation equipment would improve Taiwan's ability to defend itself without changing the basic military balance in Asia.
China opposes all US military sales in Taiwan.
Adam Ni, a Chinese defense expert at the Australian National University, told nine.com.au that the arms deal would put a strain on Sino-US relations.
"This proposal comes as Sino-US strategic competition and the intensification of the trade war intensify. This is also the case when China intensifies pressure on Taiwan by adopting a military stance and intensifying its efforts to restrict Taiwan's international space, "said Ni.
Ni predicted that Beijing would further intensify pressure on Taiwan to join the continent, a policy led by radical President Xi Jinping.
"Xi Jinping considers unification with Taiwan as a critical heritage project. China will bring into play its formidable set of economic, diplomatic and military tools to achieve its strait goals. "
Taiwan was divided with the mainland in 1949, but China claimed it as part of its territory and threatened to invade if necessary to reunite Taiwan with the mainland.
Relations between Washington and Beijing are already tense as the two economic superpowers clash with a new round of commercial tariffs.
Washington has no official relations with the democratically elected government of the island, but US law requires it to equip itself with the necessary means to defend itself.
Ni said the issue of Taiwan is playing a growing role in relations between the United States and China.
"The hardening of the US position against China and the new consensus in Washington on the fact that Beijing is a competitor instead of a partner means that the Taiwan problem will take renewed importance in US-China relations."
With AP
© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2018
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