Source: Financial Times

China has postponed several high-level military exchanges with the US, in the first tangible sign of retaliation over Washington’s decision to sell $6.4bn in arms to Taiwan.

“China has decided to suspend arrangements for some planned mutual visits between the US and the Chinese military,” a Chinese military spokesman said on Thursday.

A Pentagon spokesman said the postponed exchanges included a planned trip by General Chen Bingde, China’s chief of the general staff, to the US. A visit to China by Admiral Robert Willard, the head of US Pacific Command, has also been postponed. The spokesman said it was too early to speculate whether other military exchanges would be impacted.

“[China] routinely uses our military-to-military relationship to express displeasure,” said the spokesman. “Nevertheless, we are committed to maintaining a positive, co-operative and comprehensive relationship with China.”

China last week allowed the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier to dock at Hong Kong for a routine port visit, suggesting that Beijing might adopt a softer stance on the arms sales. At the same time, however, Chinese military officers who had been invited to a reception aboard the Nimitz declined to attend.

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