"The Chinese side expresses its strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to this. We have raised solemn representations with the US side."

The US Department of Defence this week notified Congress that it planned to sell Taiwan 421 million US dollars worth of missiles, which would help boost the island's defences against rival China.

"The proposed sale will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region," the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency said.

Acquisition of 218 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air missiles and 235 Maverick missiles would help Taiwan "modernise its armed forces and enhance its defence ability to counter air and ground threats," it said.

Qin said the sale violated US commitments to a "one China policy," which maintains that there is only one China with Beijing as its capital.

By selling weapons to Taiwan, Washington was also violating its promise to gradually reduce sales to the island territory, he said.

"By selling these missiles to Taiwan, the United States is violating ... its commitments," Qin said.

"This is rude interference into China's internal affairs."

China considers Taiwan a part of its territory to be reunified by force if necessary.

The United States is committed to providing Taiwan with defensive weaponry in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act, a US law passed when it switched its political recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

The proposed sale comes after US Vice President Dick Cheney last week expressed concerns over China's growing military might and as top US intelligence officials said Beijing was trying to achieve parity with the US in military affairs.

"China's continued fast-paced military build-up are... not consistent with China's stated goal of a 'peaceful rise,'" Cheney said while on a trip to Australia.

Retired admiral Michael McConnell, the new director of US national intelligence, told Congress on Tuesday that "it's a matter of their building their military, in my view, to reach some sort of state of parity with the United States.

"They are a threat today, they will become an increasing threat over time."

US officials estimate China's annual defence spending at between 80 and 115 billion dollars, the highest in the world after the United States, and well above their stated defence spending of 35 billion dollars last year.

Following the barrage of criticism, China insisted this week that it posed no military threat to the rest of the world.

"China adheres to the role of peaceful development. We are an important force for maintaining peace and stability," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said when asked about Cheney's comments.

earlier related report
China tells US not to send wrong signals to Taiwan
Beijing, March 4 (AFP) Mar 04 - China told the United States Sunday not to send the wrong signals to "Taiwan separatist forces," a day after urging Washington to cancel a planned missile sale to the island territory. "The activities of Taiwan separatists pose a major threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," Xinhua news agency quoted Chinese State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan as telling US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte.

"We hope the US side will implement its commitments, not send any mistaken signals to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces and work together (with China) to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and Sino-US relations."

Negroponte was in Beijing only days after the United States agreed to a plan to sell Taiwan 450 air and ground missiles, widely viewed as a counter-measure to an ongoing Chinese missile build-up on its southwest coast facing the island.

"I stressed that any weapons sale that we might make to Taiwan would be for strictly defensive purposes and consistent with our one-China policy," Negroponte told reporters late Sunday.

The "one-China policy" refers to Beijing's insistence that there is only one China and that Taiwan belongs to that entity.

"We had good frank discussions. We discussed bilateral and strategic issues including North Korea, regional security, the war on terrorism and trade," Negroponte said.

A working group on denuclearisation, agreed to in a breakthrough in six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear programme last month, would begin work within days, he said.

The US envoy, who met earlier Sunday with Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, said he had discussed Iran, but gave no further details.

"The United States and China have wide common interests and many common concerns both bilaterally and in international affairs," Xinhua quoted Negroponte as saying.

"The United States side hopes to continue with China contacts and exchanges at all levels and in every area in order to strengthen our constructive relations."

The planned weapons purchase by democratic Taiwan has upset the leaders of China's Communist Party, which views the island as a renegade province to be reunited with the motherland.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo told Negroponte on Saturday that China "resolutely opposes" US weapons sales to Taiwan, according to a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman.

Ties have recently cooled somewhat after US Vice President Dick Cheney's comments, on a trip to Australia, that China's military growth and recent test of a satellite-killer missile did not chime with its stated peaceful aims.

Negroponte's visit to Beijing is the second leg of a trip that has already taken him to Japan and will include a stop in South Korea.

All three are US partners in the six-nation effort to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and part of his trip has focused on how to make sure Pyongyang holds up its end of the deal.

After exhaustive negotiations, a new six-nation agreement was signed last month under which Pyongyang agreed to give up its nuclear weapons programmes in exchange for economic and energy aid.

During talks between Li and Negroponte, China offered its condolences and sympathy after a series of tornadoes swept the southern United States, killing scores of people.

earlier related report
US to sell Taiwan 421 million US dollars worth of missiles
Taipei (AFP) March 1 - The US Department of Defense has notified Congress that it plans to sell Taiwan missiles worth 421 million US dollars, which would help boost the island's defences against rival China.

The proposed sale will include 218 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air missiles (AMRAAM), 235 Maverick missiles, as well as spare parts and maintenance equipment, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement.

"The proposed sale will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region," the agency said.

Acquisition of AMRAAM and Maverick missiles, a move sure to irk Beijing, will help Taiwan "modernize its armed forces and enhance its defence ability to counter air and ground threats," it said.

The missiles will be used to arm Taiwan's F-16 fleet, the backbone of its air force.

Taiwan for the first time in 2000 purchased from the United States 120 AIM-120s, which have a range of 50 kilometres (31 miles) and are equipped with advanced guidance systems.

But delivery of the weaponry was delayed to 2003 after China acquired weaponry of similar capabilities -- Russian-made AA-12 missiles.

China has repeatedly protested to the US over its policy of selling weapons to Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory to be reunified by force if necessary.

The United States is committed to providing Taiwan with defensive weaponry in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act despite its switching of political recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

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