Sanctions may clip China-US business ties

China's planned sanctions against United States companies involved in the recent arms sale to Taiwan could cloud ties between Chinese businesses and their US partners, say industry insiders and analysts.

The unspecified sanctions on US firms, however, are an appropriate measure by the central government, reaffirmed Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu yesterday.

China has reacted swiftly to US President Barack Obama's approval in late January of an arms sales package to Taiwan worth $6.4 billion.