Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesman Wu Qian on Tuesday slammed U.S. arms sales to the Taiwan region.
Wu made the comment in response to reports that the U.S. Government Accountability Office has accused domestic defense contractor Raytheon of fraud in selling expensive weapons to Taiwan, which procured the Patriot missile system in 2013 and radar systems in 2017 from the company. A public opinion representative from the Taiwan-based Kuomintang (KMT) party lashed out at U.S. arms dealers, likening their actions to a fraudulent scheme.
"We firmly oppose U.S. provision of weapons to China's Taiwan region. I'd like to point out that what the reports revealed is only a tip of the iceberg. Over the past few years, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have been doing everything possible to flatter the U.S. and repeatedly seeking to buy weapons from it. A great deal of the hard-earned money of people in Twain has been squandered, yet all they have received are pieces of junk that only benefited corrupted officials and arms dealers. It has led to growing opposition and dissatisfaction among locals," said the spokesman.
"'Sky-high prices' and 'obsolete functions' are two notorious hallmarks of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. From moldy bulletproof vests to expired ammunition and overpriced missiles and radars, we can see that Americans only care about U.S. interests. 'Taiwan independence' is a dead end and outsiders cannot be trusted. The attempt to seek separation by relying on the U.S. support will only lead to self-destruction," Wu said.
Chinese defense ministry slams US arms sales to Taiwan region
Macao has been emerging as a global hub for conventions and exhibitions in recent years by exploring the enormous opportunities in the sector, driving the region to advance its economic diversification and embrace a brighter future.
Macao has received many awards this year, such as the Best Convention City (Asia) and the Best BT-MICE City, showcasing the recognition for and influence of Macao's exhibition industry.
More than 1,000 electronic game enthusiasts from all over the world gathered recently in Macao to participate in a esports themed event.
Su Zhili, organizer of the event, said that Macao's rich experience in hosting large-scale events, coupled with its good infrastructure, has driven him to choose the region as an ideal destination to hold such an activity.
"Macao has held many similar large-scale events. It has rich experience, and the facilities at the venue are relatively mature, so we can start our work comfortably," said Su.
During the first three quarters of 2024, Macao held more than 1,000 conferences and exhibitions in total.
"We will invite more professional, special conferences to be held in Macao and also cultivate more exhibition brands with international influence in Macao, so as to promote Macao's exhibitions to be more market-oriented, professional, international, digital and greener from various aspects. This is our goal," said Elaine Wong, member of the Macao Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute.
In addition, multiple large exhibitions and conferences, such as the Macao International Trade and Investment fair, the Macao Franchise Expo, and the International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum, are held regularly in Macao.
With the introduction of a series of policies and measures to facilitate the exchanges between the mainland and Macao, as well as the construction and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Macao's convention and exhibition industry will embrace more opportunities for development in the foreseeable future.
"We have such a good industrial base in the Greater Bay Area. The mode of 'Convention and Exhibition + Industry' not only integrates the industries of Macao, but also the industries of the Greater Bay Area. In addition, Macao actively integrates into the national development and plays a role in the Belt and Road. Why are we so confident in Macao's convention and exhibition sector? Because it is backed by the motherland, and the country gives Macao great support," said Alan Ho, chairman of the Macao Association of Convention, Exhibition and Tourism Sectors.
Macao emerges as global hub for conventions and exhibitions, driving economic diversification and international recognition
