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A top Chinese defense official has turned down a meeting with his US counterpart, citing recent American arms sales to Taiwan.

What’s the deal: According to a US defense official, China refused a proposal for a high-level meeting between its Defense Minister Dong Jun and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during an Asian defense summit in Laos. Initially, the Pentagon had extended the invitation for talks, but China declined, officially citing objections to US arms sales to Taiwan. The decision was communicated before the summit, and the refusal marks the first disruption of military talks between the two nations in a year. US officials speculated that the arms sales were not the sole reason for the refusal, pointing to additional grievances, including recent sanctions on Chinese entities.

More on that sale to Taiwan: Back in October, the United States finalized a $2 billion arms sale to Taiwan, which included advanced surface-to-air missile systems, cutting-edge radar technology valued at $828 million, and other defense equipment aimed at bolstering Taiwan’s air and missile defense capabilities. This substantial arms deal is part of Washington’s broader strategy to strengthen Taiwan’s security in the face of increasing military pressure from Beijing. The sale has drawn sharp condemnation from China, which considers such transactions a violation of the one-china policy and a direct challenge to its territorial claims over the self-governing island.

Digging deeper: The United States officially maintains the One-China policy, a longstanding agreement that recognizes Beijing as the sole legal government of China while acknowledging, but not endorsing, China’s claim over Taiwan. This policy has been central to US-China relations since 1979, allowing Washington to engage diplomatically with Beijing while maintaining unofficial relations and security commitments with Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act.

Despite the U.S.’s position, China frequently accuses it of violating or “bending” the One-China policy through actions such as selling advanced weapons to Taiwan or visits by high-ranking US officials and lawmakers to the island.