China has again made clear its opposition to plans by the United States to develop an anti-missile defence system - and warned that this could trigger a new arms race.

Speaking at a security conference in Munich, Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Wang Guangya gave a blunt warning to any country that sought, as he put it, to include the Taiwan Straits in their security co-operation programme.

The influential audience of Nato government ministers, senior officials and foreign policy experts heard Mr Wang condemn arms sales to Taiwan and criticised some countries having clung to the Cold War mentality.

The BBC's defence correspondent says this comment was a thinly-veiled reference to Japan, which has strengthened its bilateral military alliances and helping in the development of missile defences.

'No threat'

However, Mr Wang's Japanese counterpart, Ryozo Kato, insisted that his country's strengthening military ties with Washington were a source of stability and did not threaten anyone.

Although he never mentioned the US by name, Mr Wang said that in an effort to secure absolute security for itself, a certain country, as he put it, was stepping up its research, development and deployment of sophisticated anti-missile systems.

He said the country's weapons development violated international legal obligations to which it had committed itself, warned it could trigger a new arms race.