BEIJING - China firmly opposes US arms sales to China's Taiwan region, Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said Thursday.

China resolutely objects to the United States having military ties or any other form of official contact with Taiwan, Ma said.

Ma made the remarks when responding to a question about the US State Department's approval of a plan to sell weapons worth $180 million to Taiwan.

"Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authority has repeatedly purchased US weapons with taxpayers' money. This will only undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and harm the interests of the Taiwan people," he said.