China slams U.S. over Taiwan defense bill

The Chinese Ministry of National Defense issued a sharp warning to Washington on Friday over provisions in the newly passed U.S. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that include expanded military support for Taiwan, calling the move a provocative escalation that threatens regional stability.

Speaking in Beijing, Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang criticized the Taiwan-related elements of the NDAA, describing them as a blatant interference in China’s internal affairs. “The U.S. playing the ‘Taiwan card’ is no different from playing with fire,” Zhang said. “Arming Taiwan is an extremely dangerous ‘gambling’ act and will surely pay a heavy price for it.”

The NDAA, recently passed by both chambers of the U.S. Congress, includes $1 billion in appropriations for the so-called Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative, provisions for expanded U.S.-Taiwan defense cooperation, and plans to integrate Taiwan into the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval exercise—one of the world’s largest maritime drills led by the U.S. Navy.

Zhang stated that these provisions “undermine China’s sovereignty, security, and development interests,” and accused the U.S. of damaging the broader international security environment. “Such acts disrupt global peace and stability,” he said in a regular press briefing.

In a statement, Zhang emphasized that the “Taiwan question is the first red line in China-U.S. relations that must not be crossed.” He warned that further military cooperation between the U.S. and Taiwan would only heighten tensions across the Taiwan Strait and increase the risk of confrontation.

The U.S. has steadily increased defense interactions with Taiwan in recent years, including arms sales, military exchanges, and training programs. While Washington maintains a policy of strategic ambiguity, the NDAA’s inclusion of explicit funding and exercise integration represents what Beijing views as a move toward formalized defense alignment.

Zhang called on Washington to return to the framework of previous agreements between the two countries. “The U.S. must abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques,” he said. “It must truly deliver on its promise of not supporting ‘Taiwan independence,’ refrain from sending wrong signals to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces, stop military interactions in any form with China’s Taiwan region, and avoid any damage to the relations between the two countries and two militaries and the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.”

The Chinese military has increased its own posture in the Taiwan Strait, including frequent air and naval operations near the island, in response to what it views as growing collusion between Taipei and foreign powers.

The remarks from China’s defense ministry underscore the deepening military and political strain between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan policy. While the U.S. describes its support for Taiwan as consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act and aimed at preserving deterrence, Chinese officials continue to characterize it as a direct challenge to China’s sovereignty.