⁍ The move in the run-up to the Nov. 3 U.S. election is likely to anger China.

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⁍ China considers Taiwan a renegade province that it has vowed to reunite with the mainland, by force if necessary.

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⁍ China’s embassy urged Washington in an emailed statement to stop arms sales to and military ties with Taiwan.

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– The White House is moving forward with three new arms sales to Taiwan, sources tell Reuters, in a move likely to anger China, which still considers the island a renegade province. The State Department has notified leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations and House of Representatives Foreign Affairs committees that three deals—for a truck-based rocket launcher, a long-range air-to-ground missile, and F-16 jet sensors—have been approved by the State Department, and Congress is expected to approve the sales before the US election on Nov. 3. The sale of other weapons systems, including large, sophisticated aerial drones, land-based Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and underwater mines, to deter amphibious landings, have yet to reach Capitol Hill. China “consistently and firmly opposes US arms sales to Taiwan and has firm resolve in upholding its sovereignty and security,” a rep for the Chinese embassy said in an emailed statement. “It should gravely harm China-US relations and cross-Strait peace and stability.” Reuters notes that senior US officials last week repeated calls for Taiwan to spend more on its own defense and to carry out military reforms to make clear to China the risks of attempting to invade. It comes at a time when China has significantly stepped up military activity near Taiwan and as US-China relations have plunged to the lowest point in decades as the US election nears. President Trump and his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, have both sought to appear tough in their approach to Beijing.