BEIJING: China has accused the United States of gross interference in its internal affairs by allowing many anti-China clauses in its defence budget, including selling Kidd-class diesel submarines to arch-rival Taiwan.

Beijing strongly opposes the anti-China US defence Authorisation Act, foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue told reporters here on Thursday.

The 2002 Fiscal Defence Authorisation Act, which was passed recently by the US Senate and House of Representatives, contains many anti-China clauses including selling Kidd-class destroyers to Taiwan, Zhang said.

She said that China is opposed to US arms sales to Taiwan, including selling Kidd-class destroyers, a deal announced by US president George W Bush early this year.

Zhang noted that the US Congress, in disregard of China's repeated representations on the matter, passed the 2002 fiscal defence authorisation act.

"This violates the 'one-China' policy and principles of the three Sino-US joint communiques, and is blatant interference in China's internal affairs," she said.

She urged the US to correct its mistake, stop selling arms to Taiwan and avoid any acts or words that interfere in China's internal affairs and thus damage Sino-US relations.