China indignant as US plans $6.4 billion arms sale to Taiwan

(TibetanReview.net, Jan31, 2010)  China said it was "strongly indignant" after US President Barack Obama notified congress Jan 29 his administration’s first proposed arms sales to Taiwan. It said the move would seriously damage cooperation between the two countries, reported China official China Daily online Jan 30.

The potentially $6.4 billion package was reported to include Black Hawk helicopters, Patriot "Advanced Capability-3" anti-missile missiles, mine-sweeping ships and command-and-control technology.

The report cited Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister He Yafei as saying the arms sales were "crude interference in China's domestic affairs and seriously harm China's national security".

"The United States' announcement of the planned weapons sales to Taiwan will have a seriously negative impact on many important areas of exchanges and cooperation between the two countries," He was quoted as saying, delivering a copy of his remarks to the US ambassador to China.

He was reported to have issued a grim warning that unless the US would halt the planned sales "This will lead to repercussions that neither side wishes to see."

According to Washington Post online Jan 30, potential Chinese reprisal actions may include cancellation of a visit by President Hu Jintao to Washington in Apr’10, sanctions on the US companies supplying the equipment or on businesses in the districts of congressional lawmakers known to be backers of Taiwan.

On the other hand, the United States says, the report noted, weapons sales to Taiwan help to maintain stability in East Asia by making it more difficult for Beijing to bully Taiwan. The United States is legally obligated to provide weapons for Taiwan's defense, under the Taiwan Relations Act.

“This is a clear demonstration of the commitment that this administration has to provide Taiwan the defensive weapons it needs," the report quoted State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley as saying.

Meanwhile, China’s National People's Congress (NPC) has added its voice to the Chinese protests. Xinhua Jan 30 quoted an unnamed “leading official” of the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee as saying the US plan was "in disregard of the strong opposition and repeated representations from the Chinese side".