Pentagon Feels Chill Set In With China As Beijing Reacts to U.S.-Taiwan Deal

China's decision to halt military contacts with the U.S. to protest proposed weapons sales to Taiwan puts the brakes on efforts to improve relations between the Pentagon and Beijing's defense establishment.

The arms deal "has contaminated the sound atmosphere of our military relations" and "gravely jeopardizes China's national security," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang on Tuesday. He said the sale "threatens stability and world peace."

A statement Tuesday by China's Defense Ministry said the U.S. action has "seriously hampered exchanges and communications" between the U.S. and China, including "high-level exchanges of the two militaries."

Read more