China’s foreign minister warned that US plans to sell $6.4bn (€4.6bn) worth of arms to Taiwan will harm Chinese efforts to unify peacefully with the island, the ministry said, after China suspended US military exchanges and threatened unprecedented sanctions against American defence companies.

China's Defence Ministry demanded that the US Navy end surveillance missions off the country's southern coast following a weekend confrontation between an American vessel and Chinese ships.

Chinese warships with special forces troops, missiles and helicopters are to join the international anti-piracy mission off Somalia.