China is to suspend military exchanges and security talks with Washington and says it will impose sanctions on US firms involved in a deal to sell arms to Taiwan.
China has summoned the US defence attache in Beijing to protest the arms sales.
Qian Lihua, director of China's Defence Ministry Foreign Affairs Office, lodged a 'solemn protest' about the sales.
China has moved swiftly to suspend military exchanges with the US after Washington's announcement of arms sales to Taiwan, widening rifts in their far-reaching relationship.
The Defence Ministry, in a strongly-worded statement carried by the official Xinhua news agency, condemned the proposed US sale of weapons to self-ruled and democratic Taiwan, which China considers an illegitimate breakaway province.
‘Considering the severe harm and odious effect of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, the Chinese side has decided to suspend planned mutual military visits,’ Xinhua quoted the ministry as saying.
The Obama administration told the U.S. Congress on Friday of the proposed sales to Taiwan, a potential $6.4 billion package including Black Hawk helicopters, Patriot ‘Advanced Capability-3’ anti-missile missiles, and two refurbished Osprey-class mine-hunting ships.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei, said his government was ‘strongly indignant’ about the proposed US sale of weapons to Taiwan, which China considers an illegitimate breakaway province.
The Obama administration told the US Congress yesterday of the proposed sales to Taiwan, a potential $6.4bn package including Black Hawk helicopters, Patriot ‘Advanced Capability-3’ anti-missile missiles, and two refurbished Osprey-class mine-hunting ships.
Beijing responded with Mr He's warning delivered to the US ambassador to China, Jon Huntsman, that the arms deal could jeopardise bonds with Washington, which has looked to China for help in surmounting the financial crisis, dealing with Iran and North Korea, and fighting climate change.
The US arms sales to Taiwan have joined trade imbalances, currency disputes, human rights, the internet, and Tibet among rifts dividing the world's biggest and third-biggest economies.
Washington and Beijing have also recently traded angry words about internet policy after the search engine giant Google Inc earlier this month threatened to shut its Chinese google.cn portal and pull out of China, citing censorship problems and hacking attacks.
In coming months President Obama may meet the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan leader China calls a dangerous separatist, adding to Beijing's ire with Washington.
Vice-Foreign Minister He did not spell out what reprisals Beijing may mete out against Washington over the weapons sales. But he hinted the anger would be felt in a number of areas.
‘The United States' announcement of the planned weapons sales to Taiwan will have a seriously negative impact on many important areas of exchanges and co-operation between the two countries,’ said Mr He in the remarks, published on the Chinese Foreign Ministry's website.
He said the arms sales were ‘crude interference in China's domestic affairs and seriously harm China's national security’, using words notably tougher than Beijing's recent statements on the issue.
‘This will lead to repercussions that neither side wishes to see,’ said Mr He. He urged the US to halt the planned sales.
