US tries to tamp down tension

Beijing makes it clear that it will have an appropriate response

Still smarting at Washington's $6.4 billion arms sale to Taipei four days after the announcement, Beijing reaffirmed yesterday that there will be measured retaliation even as senior US officials tried to douse the flames.

"The US insisted on selling arms to Taiwan regardless of Beijing's resolute opposition that will, inevitably, severely damage China's cooperation with the US on relevant key international and regional issues," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu.