China opposes US bill on Taiwan arms sales

BEIJING - China on Thursday expressed opposition to a US Congress committee's passage of a bill on arms sales to Taiwan.

"China firmly opposes and is strongly dissatisfied with the passage of the legislation on arms sales to Taiwan by the related committee of the US Congress," Hong Lei said at a daily press briefing on Thursday.

Hong's comments came after the US Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday passed legislation authorizing arms sales to Taiwan, including four Perry-class frigates.

Hong said China opposes any country's arms sales to Taiwan. "This stance is clear and consistent," he said.

"We urge some people in the US Congress to give up the Cold War mindset, adhere to the one-China policy and the three China-US joint communiques, observe the spirit of building a new model for major-country relations, and stop promoting any legislation on arms sales to Taiwan," Hong said.

"They should do more for the healthy and stable development of China-US relations and the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, rather than act contrarily," Hong said.