Munich: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said on Friday that the US’ arms sales to Taiwan constituted a violation of standards in international relations and would provoke a reaction by Beijing.
"This is obviously a violation of the code of conduct between nations," Yang said in an opening speech to the Munich Security Conference in this southern German city, calling Taiwan ‘a part of China’.
"Of course, the Chinese government and the people have to react. It is within its sovereign right to do what is necessary... I think the Chinese people and the government of every region should feel indignant about this thing," added the minister.
"We approached the US side and made a representation very seriously, on many occasions, yet the US still went ahead with the sale," he said.
Under a deal that has rattled China-US ties, the Pentagon last month unveiled a USD 6.4-billion arms package for Taiwan including Patriot missiles, Black Hawk helicopters and mine-hunting ships.
Beijing has been angered both by this deal and by the prospect of the Dalai Lama visiting the White House later this month.
PTI
