'Opposing US' arms sales to Taiwan is part of Chinese policy'

Beijing, Jan 10 (ANI): Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie has said that opposing United States' arms sales to Taiwan has always been his country's policy.

U.S. arms sales to Taiwan "have jeopardized China's core interests," Xinhua quoted Liang, as saying at a joint press conference with U.S. Defence 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," he added.

In January 2010, the Pentagon had decided to sell approximately 6.4 billion dollars of arms to Taiwan. The move led to the suspension of some bilateral military exchange programs and the postponing of Gates' planned China trip.

Before leaving for China, Gates warned that the Pentagon is stepping up investments on a range of weapons, jet fighters and technology in response to the Chinese military build-up. He also said that the Chinese development of its first radar-evading fighter jet, and an antiship ballistic missile that could hit American aircraft carriers, is a reason behind persuading him to make improvements in American weaponry 'a priority.' (ANI)