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The United States, considering a new arms sale to Taiwan, “impair the national security of China and its efforts for peaceful reunification,” lamented the foreign minister, Yang Jiechi, reported Sunday the Xinhua news agency.

The U.S. government has notified Congress Friday of its plans to sell arms – helicopters and missile defense in particular – to Taiwan for $ 6.4 billion.

Beijing has announced a few hours later the suspension of military ties with Washington, and the interruption of dialogue on issues of strategic security, arms control and nuclear proliferation.

In defiance of strong opposition and repeated protests by China, the U.S. administration announced its intention to sell arms to Taiwan, a late leader of China’s diplomacy, the personality highest placed to have commented on this project.

“Such a move would seriously against the three joint communiques between China and the United States, including that of August 17, signed in 1982,” he said, denouncing the brutal interference in the internal affairs of China .

Yang Jiechi, interviewed on his way to Cyprus, has also invited the United States “to respect the fundamental interests and major concerns of China, to immediately revoke the wrong decision to sell weapons to Taiwan and cease arms sales not to undermine Sino-US relations “, the report said.

CALL TO BOYCOTT

Beijing has ordered the partial suspension or postponement of some projects in the field of military cooperation. A visit of U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who was traveling to China this year would be particularly concerned.

In an unprecedented move, the authorities have also brandished the threat of retaliation against companies involved in the proposed sale of weapons to Taiwan, which Beijing considers a breakaway province.

“As the world grapples with the financial crisis and it is also confronted with problems such as climate change, food security and nuclear non-proliferation, setbacks do not serve American-Chinese” , Xinhua said, while the U.S. administration tries to downplay the affair.

“We regret that the Chinese government has indicated its intention to reduce its plans for military cooperation, including trade in safety, and take action against companies that supply weapons to Taiwan. We believe that our policy contributes to stability and security in the region, “responded Philip Crowley, spokesman for Chief State Department.

Among the companies involved include Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of United Technologies and manufacturer of the Black Hawk helicopter, Lockheed, which produces the Patriot missile, the system integrator Raytheon and Boeing for the Harpoon missile.

The Global Times, under appreciated China for its nationalist orientation, and Internet portal Sohu have launched online petitions, some signatories advocate a boycott of American products.

The case adds to the litigation on human rights, foreign exchange, Internet and Tibet. Barack Obama could, moreover, meet in the coming months the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibetans in exile, which China calls a dangerous separatist.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has recently made it to Beijing in a speech on the attacks on freedom of expression online. Days earlier, Google had threatened to leave China because of censorship and cyber attacks.