China urges US to block bill on arms sales to Taiwan

BEIJING - China's Foreign Ministry urged the United States to block a bill related to arms sales to Taiwan Monday.

According to a media report, the US Senate passed a bill to authorize the president to sell Perry-class frigates to Taiwan Thursday.

The US arms sales to Taiwan interfere in China's internal affairs, Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a routine press briefing, stressing China is firmly opposed to the bill and has made solemn representations with the US side.

Hong said the move by the United States runs counter to the three China-US joint communiques, particularly the US commitments specified in the August 17 Communique signed in 1982, under which the United States agreed to gradually reduce arms sales to Taiwan.

The US congress should stop the bill and US administrative authorities should take effective measures to block the bill so as to avoid hurting China-US ties, Hong said.