China's Ministry of National Defense said on Monday that it expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to a $330 million arms sale to Taiwan approved by the United States on Thursday.

The sale included non-standard spare and repair parts and related equipment, according to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesman for the ministry, criticized the US action, saying it seriously violated the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques. He said the sale blatantly interfered in China's internal affairs, undermined China's sovereignty and security interests, and sent a gravely wrong signal to Taiwan independence separatist forces.

"We express strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition, and have lodged stern representations with the US side," Zhang said.

He stressed that supporting separatists by arms will only backfire and that attempts to use Taiwan to contain China are doomed to fail.

"We urge the US to immediately stop arming Taiwan and avoid undermining the development of China-US relations and their bilateral military ties," he said.

Zhang also warned Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities that spending Taiwan people's money on weapons is a dead end, and that efforts to seek independence by relying on external forces or to resist reunification by force are bound to fail.

"We will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Zhang said.