The Chinese Government on September 21 expressed strong indignation and resolute opposition over a new round of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

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

Regardless of China's repeated solemn representations, the U.S. administration announced a new arms package worth $5.852 billion to Taiwan, including the so-called "upgrading" of F-16A/B fighter jets.

"The Taiwan issue concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, impacts China's core interests and touches the national feeling of 1.3 billion Chinese," the vice foreign minister said. "It is always the most important and most sensitive core issue in China-U.S. relations."

Zhang Yesui, Chinese Ambassador to the United States, also lodged strong protests on behalf of the Chinese Government in Washington, D.C.