China slams new US Defense Act, terms it 'political provocation'

Beijing [China], December 24 (ANI): China expressed strong opposition on Saturday to a new US defence authorization law that boosts military assistance for Taiwan, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has said.

On December 24, US President Joe Biden signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the Fiscal Year 2023, which contains several provisions to deal with China's growing assertiveness and provide support to Taiwan.

"Despite China's opposition, the US passed and signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, which contains negative content concerning China. China deplores and firmly opposes this US move, and has made serious demarches to the US," a Chinese spokesperson said in a statement posted on the country's Foreign Ministry.

The Chinese spokesperson said this NDAA hypes up the "China threat" narrative, blatantly interferes in China's internal affairs, and attacks and discredits the Communist Party of China (CPC).

"This is a serious political provocation against China. The leadership of the CPC is the choice of history and the people. The Chinese people are clear-eyed about the US's ill intention of suppressing and containing China's development and thwarting the Chinese nation's rejuvenation. Attempts to drive a wedge between the Chinese people and the CPC will not succeed," the spokesperson added.

Beijing also said this act contains many "negative provisions" on Taiwan, which seriously violate the one-China principle and the stipulations in the three China-US Joint Communiques.

According to Pentagon, the NDAA means a 4.6 per cent pay raise for military and civilian members of the department and includes USD 45 billion more than originally requested to counter the effects of inflation and to accelerate the implementation of the National Defense Strategy.

The NDAA also authorizes USD 30.3 billion for national security programmes in the Department of Energy and the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board and USD 378 million for other defence-related activities.

The NDAA establishes a specific defence modernization programme for Taiwan to deter aggression by China, CNN reported. (ANI)