China opposes U.S. arms sales to Taiwan: Chinese defense chief

Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie (R, rear) and the visiting U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (L rear) meet with press after their meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 10, 2011. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

BEIJING, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Opposing United States arms sales to Taiwan has always been China's policy, Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie told reporters in Beijing Monday.

U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, an inalienable part of China, "have jeopardized China's core interests," Liang said when responding to a question concerning possible harm to bilateral military relations future U.S. weapon sales to Taiwan would cause.

Liang made the remarks at a joint press conference with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

"We do not want to see such things happening again. We do not want U.S. weapon sales to Taiwan to further damage the relationship between China and the United States and the two nations' armed forces," Liang added.

In Jan. 2010, the Pentagon decided to sell approximately 6.4 billion U.S. dollar of arms to Taiwan. That caused the suspension of some bilateral military exchange programs and the postponing of Gates's planned China trip.