China warns US over plan for $6.5bn arms sale to TaiwanChina cancelled a visit to Washington by a senior general, slapped an indefinite ban on port calls by US naval vessels, and cancelled low-level diplomatic exchanges with the US yesterday, in retaliation RETALIATION. The act by which a nation or individual treats another in the same manner that the latter has treated them. For example, if a nation should lay a very heavy tariff on American goods, the United States would be justified in return in laying heavy duties on the manufactures and for a US plan to sell $6.5bn (£3.7bn) of advanced weaponry to Taiwan. China's foreign ministry in Beijing said the move broke international law and would cast a shadow over bilateral relations. The proposed sale "has contaminated contaminated, v 1. made radioactive by the addition of small quantities of radioactive material. 2. made contaminated by adding infective or radiographic materials. 3. an infective surface or object. the sound atmosphere for our military relations and gravely jeopardised China's national security", a spokesman, Qin Gang, said. China regards Taiwan, which has had de facto [Latin, In fact.] In fact, in deed, actually. This phrase is used to characterize an officer, a government, a past action, or a state of affairs that must be accepted for all practical purposes, but is illegal or illegitimate. independence since 1949, as a renegade province. But its aim to unify the island with the mainland is opposed by a majority of Taiwanese. Under a 1979 law the US in effect pledged to help Taiwan defend itself against any attempt by China to forcibly forc·i·ble adj. 1. Effected against resistance through the use of force: The police used forcible restraint in order to subdue the assailant. 2. Characterized by force; powerful. acquire the territory. The Pentagon described China's reaction as "unfortunate" and said it would lead to missed opportunities. But both sides appeared anxious to limit the fallout from the row. US-China cooperation on nuclear proliferation Nuclear proliferation is a term now used to describe the spread of nuclear weapons, fissile material, and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information, to nations which are not recognized as "nuclear weapon States" by the issues in Iran and North Korea was not expected to be affected. The arms sale was first proposed by the US in 2001 but ran into opposition in Taiwan's parliament as well as in Beijing. It was initially valued at $12bn and potentially included Aegis-class frigates, submarines and advanced F16 fighter jets. The current package is less ambitious, consisting of defensive weapons systems. It includes 330 Patriot ground-to-air missiles, 30 Apache helicopters, 182 Javelin anti-tank missiles and spare parts Spare parts, also referred to as Service Parts is a term used to indicate extra parts available and in proximity to the mechanical item, such as a automobile, boat, engine, for which they might be used. Spare parts are also called “spares. for Taiwan's existing fleet of F16 fighters. China has expanded its military spending in recent years and has deployed an estimated 1,000 missiles across the Taiwan Strait Taiwan Strait, Chinese Taiwan haixia, arm of the Pacific Ocean, between China's Fujian coast and Taiwan, linking the East and South China seas. It contains the Pescadores. It is also called the Formosa Strait. , facing Taiwan. Prickly US relations with Taiwan have eased since the election as president last March of Ma Ying-jeou Ma Ying-Jeou (Traditional Chinese: 馬英九; Simplified Chinese: 马英九 , the nationalist Kuomintang party leader and former Taipei mayor. Ma has taken steps to improve cross-straits relations, including direct charter flights, a lifting of caps on Taiwanese investment in China, and the opening of permanent representative offices in both countries. As a result, Chen Yunlin, the official in charge of China's Taiwan policy, is expected to visit the island soon. It would be the highest-level contact since 1949. 
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