China warned Tuesday that Beijing was "gravely concerned" over recent US moves on the Taiwan question, pointing out that the situation was "quite critical," particularly over arms sales.

"Well, I don't know why one needs to talk about recent US moves," US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said when asked to comment on the statement.

Boucher said there had been no change in US policy regarding China and Taiwan and vowed defence sales to Taipei would continue as enshrined in US law.

"We continue the sale of appropriate defensive military equipment to Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act," he said.

Senior Bush administration officials were quoted by the Washington Times Wednesday as saying a key reason for US military sales to Taiwan was China's missile buildup opposite the island.

That message was delivered to Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing last week by National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, in response to Chinese complaints about Taiwan, according to the officials, the newspaper reported.

Some 500 short-range ballistic missiles in China are currently aimed at Taiwan and US experts say they could destroy key Taiwanese targets with minimal advanced warning.

Rice reportedly told Chinese leaders that a weapons deal with Taiwan had been under way since April 2001 and was reaching the point of actual transfers.

Pending sales are expected to include Patriot anti-missile systems and P-3 anti-submarine aircraft. Taiwan also is negotiating to buy up to eight diesel electric submarines and several guided missile destroyers.

Taiwan's cabinet on June 2 approved a special budget of 610 billion Taiwan dollars (18.2 billion US dollars) for the purchase of advanced weaponry. A team from Taipei was reportedly in the United States recently to shop for arms.

The United States remains the leading arms supplier to Taiwan despite its shift of diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

Under a 25-year-old US law called the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States acknowledges Beijing's position that Taiwan is part of China but is bound by law to provide weapons to help Taiwan defend itself if its security is threatened.

China has repeatedly threatened to invade Taiwan should the island declare formal independence. The two sides split in 1949 at the end of a civil war but Beijing regards the island as part of its territory.

Cross-strait tension has been escalating since pro-independence Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian took office in 2000, and since his re-election in March this year.

Boucher said the United States was committed to its one-China policy based on three joint communiques signed by the two countries and the Taiwan Relations Act.

"We've opposed unilateral moves by either side that would change the status quo," he said.

"For Beijing, this means no use of force or other forms of coercion against Taiwan. For Taipei, it means exercising prudence in managing all aspects of cross-Straits relations," he explained.

Boucher reiterated US policy not to support Taiwan's independence.

"For both sides, it means no statements or actions that would unilaterally alter Taiwan's status," he said.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2003 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.

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