China urges US to stop arming Taiwan
Beijing has urged the United States to abide by the one-China principle and stop arming Taiwan, according to a Defence Ministry statement on Wednesday.  The statement made after two-day military talks held in Washington on January 8 and 9, also said the nation had asked the US to reduce military deployment and provocations in the South China Sea. The ministry added that the US should restrain its frontline forces and stop hyping up security issues. China "stressed that it will never compromise or back down on the Taiwan issue", the ministry said. "The Chinese side also elaborated its solemn position and major concerns on issues involving China's core interests and international hotspot issues," the readout said. Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden agreed in November to restart military talks between the countries, put on hold for more than a year.  Top US military officer General Charles "CQ" Brown then spoke with China's General Liu Zhenli in December, discussing "the importance of working together to responsibly manage competition", according to Washington. (Reuters/AFP)