WASHINGTON -- The U.S. government on Wednesday notified Congress of a deal to upgrade F-16 A/B fighter jets for Taiwan, in a move that once again broke its previous promise to reduce arms sales to Taiwan.

Under the 5.3-billion-U.S. dollar deal, disclosed by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency of the U.S. Defense Department, the U.S. will upgrade Taiwan's 145 F-16 A/B fighter jets, instead of selling 66 new advanced F-16 C/D jets as originally requested by Taiwan.

The U.S. government took the action despite repeated appeals and protests from China, which firmly opposes the U.S. blatant interference in its internal affairs through continuing arms sales to Taiwan, a part of China as recognized by the United States.

Hong Lei, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman, told a news briefing in Beijing on Tuesday that China has been consistent and clear on its position against the U.S arms sales to Taiwan, while urging the U.S. to strictly abide by the three joint communiques signed by the two countries, especially the one signed on Aug. 17, 1982, in which the U.S. promised to phase out arms sales to Taiwan.

The spokesman demanded that the U.S. government refrain from selling arms to Taiwan, so as to avoid damaging the China-U.S. relations and the peaceful development of the cross-Strait ties. He also stressed that no country or person can shake the Chinese government and people's staunch will to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity and oppose outside interference.

The U.S. arms sales to Taiwan has become a major obstacle to the establishment of a stable relationship between the U.S. and China, whose cooperation and peaceful ties will benefit not only both peoples but also the whole world.

A similar arms sales deal announced by the U.S. last year led to the halt of the military exchanges and other cooperation projects between the two countries.