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BEIJING: China warned the United States on Thursday to "act cautiously" on further arms sales to Taiwan, after the island said it was still interested in buying advanced US fighter jets.
A defence ministry spokesman also said Beijing's position on suspending military exchanges with the United States over last month's arms deal remained unchanged, after the Pentagon said at least three visits had been postponed.
China has said it will sanction US firms involved in the 6.4 billion-dollar arms deal which included Patriot missiles, Black Hawk helicopters and equipment for Taiwan's F-16 fleet, but no submarines or new fighter aircraft.
"The Chinese side urges the US side to speak and act cautiously to avoid further damage to bilateral relations and peaceful cross-strait development," ministry spokesman Huang Xueping was quoted as saying by the state Xinhua news agency.
"China's decision to suspend planned China-US military visits has not changed."
A Pentagon spokesman said Wednesday that several planned exchanges had been put off, including a visit to the United States by China's chief of the general staff, and a trip to China by the commander of the US Pacific Command.
Chinese authorities allowed the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier to visit Hong Kong last week just hours before US President Barack Obama met the Dalai Lama - which also sparked an angry reaction from Beijing.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said this week he still planned to visit China later this year.
- AFP/sc
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