China freezes US military exchanges and long term relationship becomes troubled

Beijing has suspended military exchanges with the US and threatened sanctions over Washington's plan to sell arms to Taiwan, according to the official Xinhua news agency. The decision was announced on Saturday, just hours after China cautioned that the US's decision to sell $6.4bn worth of weapons to Taiwan would cause "serious damage" to relations and co-operation between the two nations.

He Yafei, the Chinese vice-foreign minister, told Jon Huntsman, the US ambassador to China, that the arms deal could jeopardise bonds with Washington.

However, Laura Tischler, a US state department spokesman, said: "This is a clear demonstration of the commitment that this administration has to provide Taiwan the defensive weapons it needs and as provided for in the Taiwan Relations Act." She said that the arms deal would contribute to "maintaining security and stability across the Taiwan Strait".

Speaking to Al Jazeera on Saturday, Christian Ford, Beijing bureau chief for the US newspaper Christian Science Monitor said, "when you look at relations between and Washington and Beijing, there are definitely some more hiccups on the horizon." Ford mentioned an expected meeting between Barack Obama, the US president, the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, as a case in point. "When that happens, Beijing is bound to react," he said.

For the complete report: Al Jazeera English - Asia-Pacific - China freezes US military exchanges