TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The U.S. arms sale to Taiwan is a violation of the “one China” principle, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian (趙立堅) said Tuesday (Feb. 8), following the U.S. State Department’s announcement of a possible sale of equipment and maintenance services for Taiwan’s arsenal of Patriot missiles.

Zhao said that the sale violated the “one China” principle and the provisions of the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques, and seriously damaged China's sovereignty and security interests, Liberty Times reported. This seriously undermines Sino-U.S. relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, he said.

“China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it.”

The spokesman said that China urges the U.S. to abide by the "one China principle" and the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques, immediately cancel the arms sale in question, and stop all weapons deals to Taiwan and bilateral military ties altogether.

China will “take legitimate and effective measures" to firmly defend its sovereignty and security interests, Zhao said.

The arms deal will cost an estimated US$100 million (NT$2.78 billion), according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.