China protests US arms sales plan to Taiwan
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China on Saturday expressed "strong indignation" to the United States decision to sell a package of arms worth about US$6.4 billion to Taiwan and warned damage to bilateral ties.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei has lodged a solemn representation to Jon Huntsman, the US ambassador to China, after the Pentagon notified the US Congress of the proposed arms sales to Taiwan, which include Patriot missiles, Black Hawk helicopters and minesweepers.
Such a move is gravely against the three joint communiques between China and the United States, especially the "Aug. 17" communique, in which the United States promised not to seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan, and intended to gradually reduce arms sales to the island.
The US decision "constitutes a gross intervention into China's internal affairs, seriously endangers China's national security and harms China's peaceful reunification efforts," a Foreign Ministry statement quoted He as saying.
"The US plan will definitely undermine China-US relations and bring about serious negative impact on exchanges and cooperation in major areas between the two countries, and lead to aftermath both sides would not prefer," He said.
He urged the US side to "fully recognize the gravity of the issue, revoke the erroneous decision on arms sales to Taiwan and stop selling weapons to Taiwan."
In 2008, China curtailed military exchanges with the United States after the Bush administration approved a 6.5-billion-US-dollar Taiwan arms deal, including 30 Apache attack helicopters and 330 Patriot missiles.
