Residents protest as US arms dealers visit Taiwan

Residents were seen protesting in Taipei on Wednesday against a group of defense contractors from the United States who were visiting the island.

A group of 25 US arms dealers visited Taiwan as part of their efforts to sell weapons and ammunition there.

The group attended a forum at the Taipei International Convention Center on Wednesday morning, where they discussed plans to collaborate with Taiwan on military production and build a large-scale weapons depot, according to local media reports.

Their visit was met with strong opposition from residents and various political groups, who organized a protest near the convention center. The demonstration drew many who voiced their concerns.

During the protest, participants chanted in English, "No war, we want peace!" and "No weapons, we want peace!"

Wu Jung-yuan, chairman of Taiwan's Labor Party, expressed concerns over the Democratic Progressive Party's recent decision to invite the arms dealers to create a military base in the region.

He warned the move to establish a base on the island would place Taiwan in a dangerous position that could potentially lead to a war.

Calling on the people of Taiwan to reject war, demand peace and improve people's livelihood, Wu said peace across the Taiwan Strait requires joint efforts of Chinese people on both sides.

The Chinese mainland has already expressed its disapproval of the visit and warned it could harm cross-Strait situation.