Two senior members of US President Barack Obama’s administration spelled out aspects of White House policy toward Taiwan on Friday and made it very clear that despite Chinese objections arms sales would continue.

Jeffrey Bader, senior director for East Asian Affairs in the National Security Council, and US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg were speaking at separate briefings on Obama’s eight-day Asian trip, which starts this week and includes talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤).