BEIJING -- U.S. arms sales to Taiwan will harm peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the basic interests of people on both sides, said a statement from the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office Thursday.

The decision also violated the principles reached in the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques and broke the promise the U.S. has made to support peaceful development across the Strait, the statement said.

"We are strongly discontent and firmly oppose what the U.S. side has decided to do," the statement said.

The U.S. administration announced Wednesday a new arms package worth 5.85 billion U.S. dollars to Taiwan, including the so-called "upgrading" of F-16A/B fighter jets.

Since May, 2008, cross-Strait relations have developed peacefully and gained support from people on both sides as well as from the international community, the statement said.

The situation across the Strait has maintained "a hard-earn stability", it said.

Taiwan has repeatedly exaggerated the military threats from the mainland. This will hold back the development of cross-Strait relations, it said.

"We hope that the Taiwan side can get a clear picture of the current situation and not step up confrontation across the Strait or make any moves that might harm the stability of the region and affect peaceful development across the Strait," the statement said.

China voices strong indignation over new U.S. arms sales to Taiwan

BEIJING -- China on Wednesday expressed strong indignation and resolute opposition over a new round of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun was instructed to summon the U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke and lodge strong protest to the U.S. side.

China summons acting U.S. military attache over arms sales to Taiwan

BEIJING -- Guan Youfei, deputy chief of China's Defense Ministry's foreign affairs office was instructed Thursday to summon the acting U.S. military attache to China and lodge strong protest over a new round of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.  

U.S. announces deal to upgrade fighter jets for Taiwan despite China's opposition

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.

China says U.S. arms sale to Taiwan creates "severe obstacles" for military-to-military exchanges

BEIJING -- China on Thursday said the latest U.S. arms sale created severe obstacles for the normal military-to-military exchanges of the two countries.

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng made the comment after the U.S. government on Wednesday notified the Congress of its latest decision to sell 5.8-billion-U.S. dollars of arms to Taiwan, including the upgrade of Taiwan's F-16 fighter fleet. 

U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, wrongful course toward doom 

BEIJING -- The Obama administration formally notified the Congress on Wednesday that it plans to upgrade Taiwan's aging F-16 fighter jets, requested by Taiwan in November 2009, and despite repeated opposition from China.

The upgrade package is a despicable breach of faith in international relations, only to gravely enrage China, as it is nothing but a blunt interference in China’s internal affairs.

Commentary: Arms sales to Taiwan causes multiple damage to China-U.S. relations

BEIJING -- An Obama administration plan for new arms sales to Taiwan is related to China's core interests and the overall China-U.S. relationship. The deal, pushed by some U.S. lawmakers, will inevitably cause multiple damage to China-U.S. ties.

Reuters reported that a U.S. official involved in Taiwan policy said the White House was set to notify Congress formally about details of a plan to supply state-of-the-art weapons to Taiwan, adding that the move was an "apparent compromise" to China. 

China says U.S. arms sales to Taiwan to undermine bilateral ties, military, security cooperation

BEIJING -- China said Wednesday that the new round of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan will inevitably damage Sino-U.S. relations.

"The wrongdoing by the U.S. side will inevitably undermine bilateral relations as well as exchanges and cooperation in military and security areas," said Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun when he was instructed to summon the U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke.