BEIJING
\nChina lodged \u201csolemn representations\u201d with the United States on Thursday after a US Senate panel advanced legislation that would enhance military support for Taiwan.
\nIf the bill continues to go forward, it would affect US-China relations, Mao Ning, a foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a regular media briefing.
\nThe US Senate\u2019s foreign relations committee on Wednesday approved legislation that would significantly enhance military support for Taiwan, including provisions for billions of dollars in additional security assistance.
\nThe committee backed the Taiwan Policy Act by 17-5, despite concerns about the bill in President Joe Biden\u2019s administration and anger about the measure from Beijing.
\nThe bill comes over one month after China conducted its largest-ever military exercises around Taiwan in response to an earlier visit to the self-ruled island by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
\nThe Chinese spokesman described the new legislation as sending \u201ca serious false signal to the separatist forces of Taiwan independence\u201d.
\n\u201cChina is firmly opposed to this and has made solemn representations to the US side that there is only one China in the world, that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China\u2019s territory, and that China will unswervingly promote the complete reunification of the country,\u201d the spokesperson said.
\nBipartisan vote
\nThe strong bipartisan vote was a clear indication of support from both Republicans and President Biden\u2019s fellow Democrats for changes in US policy toward Taiwan, such as treating it as a major non-Nato ally.
\nSponsors said the bill would be the most comprehensive restructuring of US policy toward the island since the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979.
\n\u201cWe need to be clear-eyed about what we are facing,\u201d said Senator Bob Menendez, the committee\u2019s Democratic chairman, while stressing that the United States does not seek war or heightened tensions with Beijing.
\n\u201cIf we want to ensure Taiwan has a fighting chance, we must act now,\u201d said Senator Jim Risch, the committee\u2019s top Republican, arguing that any change in the status quo for Taiwan would have \u201cdisastrous effects\u201d for the US economy and national security.
\nTaiwan\u2019s presidential office thanked the Senate for its latest show of support, saying the bill would \u201chelp promote the Taiwan-US partnership in many ways\u201d, including security and economic cooperation.
\nThe bill would allocate $4.5 billion in security assistance for Taiwan over four years, and supports its participation in international organisations. The act also includes extensive language on sanctions toward China in the event of hostilities across the strait separating the mainland from Taiwan.
\nWhen the bill was introduced in June, China responded by saying it would be \u201ccompelled to take resolute countermeasures\u201d if Washington took actions that harmed China\u2019s interests.
\n\u201cWe haven\u2019t discussed any specifics,\u201d Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan\u2019s de facto ambassador to Washington, told reporters at an event at the Capitol when asked if she has had discussions with the White House over specific sanctions.
\n\u201cWe talked about integrated deterrence in a broader sense of the need to explore different tools to ensure that the status quo in the Taiwan Strait can be maintained,\u201d Hsiao said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BEIJING China lodged \u201csolemn representations\u201d with the United States on Thursday after a US Senate panel advanced legislation that would enhance military support for Taiwan. If the bill continues to go forward, it would affect US-China relations, Mao Ning, a foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a regular media briefing. The US Senate\u2019s foreign relations committee […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":283910,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-283892","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n