China on Saturday denounced the US government's decision to sell arms worth of about US$6.5 billion to Taiwan.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said the Chinese government and people firmly opposed this action which seriously damaged China's interests and the Sino-US relations.

The US government, in spite of China's repeated solemn representations, on Friday notified the Congress about its plan to sell arms to Taiwan, including Patriot III anti-missile system, E-2T airborne early warning aircraft upgrade system, Apache helicopters and other equipment. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei has summoned the charge d'affaires of the US Embassy to China to raise strong protest against the US move, according to spokesman.

China firmly opposes arms sales by the United States to Taiwan, said Liu, noting that this has been a consistent and clear stance of China.

The US government's agreement on arms sale to Taiwan severely violated the principles set in the three joint communiques between China and the United States, especially the communique on the US arms sales to Taiwan signed on Aug. 17, 1982, grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, endangered Chinese national security, and disturbed the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, Liu stressed.

"It is only natural that this move would stir up strong indignation of the Chinese government and people," he said.

"We sternly warn the United States that there is only one China in the world, and that Taiwan is a part of China," Liu said.

He said nobody could shake the strong will of the Chinese government and people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and to oppose external interference, and nobody could stop the efforts to promote cross Straits exchanges and opening a new chapter of peace in cross Straits relations.

China urged the United States to recognize that it is seriously harmful to sell arms to Taiwan, Liu said, noting that the United States should honor its commitment to stick to one-China policy, abide by the three China-US joint communiques, and oppose the so-called "Taiwan independence".

Liu said the United States should immediately take actions to correct its mistakes, cancel the proposed arms sale, stop military links with Taiwan, and stop disturbing the peaceful development of cross Straits relations, so as to prevent further damage to the Sino-US relations and the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

China reserved the right for taking further measures, he noted.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC),China's top legislature, and the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top advisory body, on Saturday also express strong indignation over the US arms sale plan.

The foreign affairs committee of the NPC Standing Committee and that of the CPPCC National Committee each issued a statement, stressing that Chinese people were firmly opposed to the US arms sale to Taiwan.

"We firmly support our government's solemn stances over this issue," the statements said.

The statements said the cross Straits relations have recently witnessed sound momentum, which accords with the interests of both Chinese and US peoples. The US proposed arms sale to Taiwan actually was a move disturbing the improvement of the cross Straits relations.

The statements called for the United States to immediately correct its wrongdoing, and refrain from any further moves that will damage the Sino-US relations and the world peace.

China's Defense Ministry also issued a statement Saturday, condemning the US move.

Defense Ministry spokesman Hu Changming said the US decision has ruined the good atmosphere of cooperation that had existed between the two armed forces over recent years.

The statement also warned China reserves the right of making further reactions.

(Xinhua News Agency October 5, 2008)