China “will not sit idly by” if the U.S. proceeds
with a sale of advanced F-16V fighter jets to
Taiwan, a senior Chinese army officer said
Thursday while warning of other potential
countermeasures in addition to punishing
foreign firms involved in the deal.
Beijing considered the sale a violation of
previous U.S. commitments to China regarding
the island it considers its own territory to be
annexed by force if necessary, Col. Chen Rongdi,
chief of the Institute of War Studies at the
Academy of Military Sciences, said. He did not
elaborate on what additional measures China
might take.Image: Wally Santana