HANOI, Vietnam (AFP) — China and the United States on yesterday clashed over US arms sales to Taiwan as top defence officials struggled to shore up fragile military relations.

China pinpointed the weapons sales to Taiwan as the main hurdle to improving military ties with the US, while US Defence Secretary Robert Gates voiced frustration at Beijing’s stance.

The difference of opinion emerged after Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie held talks with Gates in Hanoi, the first such meeting between the two nation’s defence chiefs in almost a year.

Despite discord over Taiwan as well as China’s stance on maritime disputes in the region, Liang confirmed an invitation to Gates to visit Beijing in coming months, and the Pentagon chief accepted, officials said.

China had rebuffed Gates earlier this year and called off a tentative visit in June, as part of a 10-month suspension in military relations.

China broke off defence ties with the US in January over American plans to sell Taiwan more than US$6billion worth of arms, including Blackhawk helicopters, patriot missiles and mine sweepers.

“The biggest obstacle in defence relations between the US and China is US arms sales to Taiwan,” Guan You Fei, deputy head of external relations with China’s defence ministry, told a news conference after the meeting.

The two defence chiefs meet today ahead of an Asia-wide security forum being held in the Vietnamese capital, with China’s expanding military power and assertive stance in maritime disputes raising anxiety across the region.

Gates also indicated earlier that Washington opposes Beijing’s approach to territorial questions in the South China Sea, saying the US backed a multilateral solution favoured by Vietnam and others in the region.

After the 30-minute meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Gates told reporters that there was no reason for the Taiwan arms sales to derail a much needed security dialogue, as the US military had little to do with the policy.

He said “the reality is the secretary of defence does not make decisions with respect to Taiwan arms sales. It is fundamentally a political decision,” by Congress and political leaders, he said.

“And why the military relationship should be held hostage to what is essentially a political decision, seems to me curious. And I believe it should not be.

“If there is a discussion to be had, it is at the political level,” he said.

Gates made the same point in his talks with Liang, his press secretary Geoff Morrell said.

China still considers Taiwan part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary, even though the island has governed itself since 1949 at the end of a civil war.

Gates, however, said yesterday’s meeting marked a “good forward step,” and that he made the case for expanding ties to avoid misunderstandings or miscalculations.