On May 7, 2024, multiple political and civilian groups in the Taiwan island start an activity to urge the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities to adhere to the one-China principle. Photo: Courtesy to Wang Wu-lang

Pro-reunification groups in the island of Taiwan opposed the collusion between separatist forces in the island and the US, saying that the US arms sales and visit of American arms dealers to the island aims to escalate cross-Straits tension and buying American weapons will only lead to more severe casualties and drag Taiwan island into war.

As the situation in the Taiwan Straits becomes increasingly tense due to Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te's attempts to seek "Taiwan independence" by relying on the US, representatives of 27 American arms dealers in recent days visited Taiwan to attend a forum aimed at "strengthening cooperation on defense technologies."

Dozens of pro-reunification political and civil groups in the Taiwan island released a joint statement, criticizing separatist forces in the island for leading Taiwan into danger and using the hard-earned money of the Taiwan people to buy American weapons, according to a statement sent to the Global Times on Thursday.

The statement said that the goal of the American arms dealers is to escalate cross-Straits tension and sell weapons, and ultimately drag the Taiwan residents into a US-instigated anti-China war. "The US cannot guarantee Taiwan's security; it will only bring isolation and danger to people on Taiwan island. Buying American weapons will not ensure Taiwan's safety and will only lead to more severe casualties," the statement read.

The statement also noted that behind many global military conflicts is the shadow of the American military-industrial complex. These war profiteers are the greatest enemies of global peace and harmony. Any country or region that becomes a proxy for American wars will end up with the people suffering and its beautiful homeland reduced to ruins.

The US, in its bid to maintain its hegemony, is using the Taiwan island as a pawn to contain China, disrupting regional peace and stability, and this will inevitably lead to irreversible disaster, according to the statement.

It is peace, not war, that is the common ground for all Taiwan residents, and any politician who pushes Taiwan into the crisis of war stands against the interests of all people in the island. Taiwan is China's Taiwan, not as a first island chain for the US, according to the statement. It also warned that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) seeking "Taiwan independence" to split China by relying on external forces would face destruction.

Pro-reunification groups also said that "We want peace, not weapons! We want the economy, not war! We want reunification, not 'Taiwan independence!'" and they called for joint efforts in Taiwan to boycott American arms dealers.

Aside from the visit of American arms dealers, the Pentagon announced on Wednesday that the US Department of State has approved two potential sales to the Taiwan island of F-16 parts and related equipment worth a total of $300 million. This move has been criticized by analysts for further escalating cross-Straits tensions and violating the US' commitment of not supporting "Taiwan independence."

Wang Wu-lang, secretary-general of the Labor Rights Association, told the Global Times that Lai is following the policy set by Tsai Ing-wen which seeks to partner with the US and American arms dealers to develop Taiwan's military-industrial complex, which is also part of the DPP's separatist strategy to seek "independence" through military means.

With the incitement from American politicians, the US is interfering in China's internal affairs and arming the island of Taiwan through various means to implement the US' malicious scheme to contain China, Wang said.

The increased military spending would squeeze the fiscal budget, negatively impacting the public's expectations for economic development and increased social security spending, which also highlights that the Lai authority does not prioritize the development and lives of Taiwan.

Wang also noted that the more provocations Lai and other separatist forces take to undermine the one-China principle, the more resolute measures the mainland will take to safeguard territorial sovereignty and integrity.