The United States has approved $2 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, including the first-time delivery to the self-ruled island of an advanced surface-to-air missile defense system, in a move that has drawn China’s criticism.

Taiwan’s presidential office on Saturday thanked Washington for greenlighting the potential arms sales. Under the island’s new president, Lai Ching-te, Taiwan has been stepping up defense measures as China increased its military threats against the territory it claims as its own.

Beijing last week held war games encircling Taiwan for the second time since Lai took office in May.

The US is Taiwan’s strongest unofficial ally and its laws bound it to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself.

“Strengthening Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities is the foundation for maintaining regional stability,” Taiwan’s presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo said.

China criticized the move, saying it undermined its sovereignty and security interests, was harming US-China relations and threatened peace across the Taiwan Strait, which separates China from Taiwan.

“China strongly condemns and firmly opposes this and has lodged serious protests with the US,” read a statement by a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson. “We will take resolute countermeasures and take all measures necessary to firmly defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.”

The potential sales package includes three National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and related equipment valued at up to $1.16 billion, according to the US State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.

It also includes radar systems worth an estimated $828 million.

The NASAMS system has been battle-tested in Ukraine and will help to strengthen the Taiwanese army’s air defense capabilities, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said.

China’s war games last week were aimed at practicing the “sealing off of key ports and key areas” around Taiwan, according to Chinese officials. Taiwan counted a record one-day total of 153 aircraft, 14 navy vessels and 12 Chinese government ships.

A British lawmaker has been suspended by the governing Labour Party after footage appeared to show him punching a man repeatedly on the street.

Police are investigating the alleged attack by Mike Amesbury on Friday night, which first came to light after social media footage showed a brawl in the street following the alleged attack.

Subsequent surveillance footage, obtained by the Daily Mail newspaper and published Sunday, appears to show Amesbury talking to a man before punching him in the face and then attempting to strike him again repeatedly on the ground.

Labour said Amesbury is assisting police with their inquiries, and that they have suspended the backbencher “pending an investigation.”

Amesbury has been an member of parliament (MP) since 2017 in Cheshire, northwest England, where the alleged incident took place. He remains an independent member of the House of Commons after losing the party whip.

The lawmaker said in a statement, released before the additional footage was published by the Mail, that he was “involved in an incident that took place after I felt threatened on the street following an evening out with friends.”

He said he had “contacted Cheshire Police myself to report what happened during the incident.”

Cheshire police said in a statement: “A 55-year-old man has been voluntarily interviewed under caution by police in relation to this incident. He has since been released pending further enquiries.”

Labour swept to power in a July general election after 14 years in opposition, winning 411 seats for a commanding majority. Nine of those MPs have since had the whip removed or resigned from the party.

The populist Reform UK party have called for Amesbury to resign and allow a by-election in his seat to take place, which would be the first electoral test of the new government if it were to take place.

MPs are entitled to remain in the Commons after losing the whip. A recall petition in their constituency, which could trigger a by-election, could take place if they were to receive a prison sentence.