The United States has cleared a sale of advanced Patriot air defense missiles to Taiwan despite opposition from rival China. China's vice foreign minister, He Yafei, issued a diplomatic message to the State Department expressing his "indignation" over the pending sale, the strongest reaction ever seen, according to some analysts. And China postponed vice ministerial-level talks on arms control and strategic security. It also declares to punish U.S. companies involved in a $6.4 billon arms package for Taiwan.

The Taiwan issue has been very trivial in Sino-US relation. Between 1978 and 1990, US didn't sell so many high-tech weapons to Taiwan as it does today because the Soviet Union was a deterrent. But after that US expanded its sales to Taiwan with an aim to contain China.

The fragile balance of military power between the Mainland of China and Taiwan is at risk now and then and US tries hard to maintain it.
Global times carried out a poll on its web site asking people: "Do you think China's sanction could stop US from selling weapons to America?"

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the United States has been accustomed to being the superior partner in Sino-US relations.

When there is trouble between the two countries, China claims it reacts with restraint. Such restraint was used after the US bombing of China's embassy in Yugoslavia in 1999 and the George W. Bush administration's announcement of its decision to sell arms to Taiwan in 2008.

However, times are changing. When the US announced its latest arms sale to Taiwan, Beijing showed a stronger reaction. In a broad simultaneous response from departments, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defense, NPC and CPPCC, it halted military exchanges, imposed sanctions on US companies and warned of noncooperation on nuclear issues involving Iran and DPRK.

Chinese President Hu Jintao has just wrapped up an historic state visit to the United States. But what consequences will his trip and this new stage in Sino-US relations have for business? Russell Brown is co-founder of LehmanBrown International Accountants, a China-focused accounting, taxation and business advisory firm. He talks to Fergus Thompson about the prospects for foreign businesses coming to China - and Chinese businesses heading abroad.

David Moser invites professors to discuss China's 2nd Sino-American Financial Talents Forum, training of new talent, combining theory and practice in teaching, and strengthening student-level innovation.

In an historic move last week, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan made an apology to the Korean people, for his nation’s crimes against them, to mark the hundredth anniversary of the Japanese annexation of the Korean peninsula.

But on the Asian mainland, many Chinese see the apology as a strategic move to undermine China.

Andrew Livingstone on the apology that was, and the apology that was not.