Beijing has strongly protested a U.S. plan to sell $1.4 billion worth of arms to Taiwan and demanded that the deal be canceled.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang on Friday said Washington should immediately stop the sale to avoid harming relations with Beijing.

He said the deal would severely damage China's sovereignty and security interests and runs contrary to Washington's commitment to a "one-China" policy.

The U.S. State Department approved the arms sales on Thursday, the first such deal with Taiwan since President Trump took office. Taiwan has welcomed the agreement, which is expected to enhance the island's self-defense capability.

China considers the self-governing island to be its own territory and has long opposed any arms sales to Taiwan by foreign entities.