China on Tuesday urged the United States to immediately cancel arms sale programs, stop arms sales and military links with Taiwan.

Spokesman Liu Jianchao made the remarks when asked to comment on  US Department of Defense's recent announcement of planning to sell 3 sets of Patriot II anti-missile equipment upgrade systems and affiliated equipments worth of US$939 million to Taiwan.

China firmly opposes to arms sales by the US government to Taiwan, and had already raised strong objection and solemn representations to the United States, said Liu, noting that this has been a consistent and clear stance of China.
China urged the United States to take actual actions to carry out the three China-US joint communiques, honor its commitment made to China on the issue of Taiwan, and stop sending any misleading signals to the separatist forces seeking for Taiwan Independence, Liu said, affirming that China reserved rights for taking further measures.

Regardless of China's solemn stance and firm opposition, the United States took wrong actions in a row to sell the the P-3C anti submarine warfare aircraft, the Patriot II antimissile equipment upgrade systems and other advanced weapons, Liu said.

Such wrongdoing severely violated the US government's commitments made to China in the joint communique signed between the two countries on August 17, 1982, rudely interfered in China's internal affairs, endangered Chinese national security and peaceful unification, also disturbed the improvement and development of China-US relations, Liu stressed.

Noting that the Taiwan situation is highly complicated and sensitive, Liu said Chen Shui-bian's obstinate promotion of a "referendum" on Taiwan's bid to enter the United Nations, seeking membership in the UN under the name of Taiwan as well as other separatist activities attempting for Taiwan independence seriously threatened the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

(Xinhua News Agency November 14, 2007)