Beijing Reviews: China Blasts US Arms Sales to Taiwan

[bich dao <daotb@yahoo.com>]

China Blasts US Arms Sales to Taiwan

China has lodged a strong protest against the US Government's
announcement that it will sell a large
number of advanced weapons and equipment to Taiwan.

Yang Jiechi, Vice-Foreign Minister, summoned James Moriarty, charge
d'affaires ad interim of the
US Embassy, to his office on August 2 to make the protest.

On behalf of the Chinese Government, Yang said the recent US
announcement clearly defied the firm
objections and solemn arguments of the Chinese Government.

The weapons to be sold to Taiwan include a number of E-2T early-warning
planes and parts and
equipment for F-16 fighters. The deal is valued at US$550 million.

The US side needs to be aware of the seriousness and danger of arms
sales to Taiwan. It must cancel
arms sales to Taiwan and take practical steps to correct its mistake,
Yang said.

This erroneous practice seriously violates the three Sino-US joint
communiques, especially the
August 17 communique signed in 1982. It is a gross interference in
China's internal affairs and an
encroachment on Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity, Yang
said.

China has lodged a strong protest against the US Government's plan to
sell a large number of
advanced weapons and equipment to Taiwan.

It will further intensify tensions across the Taiwan Straits, and cause
severe damage to Sino-US
relations, he said.

The US Government agreed in the August 17 communique that the question
of Taiwan is China's
internal affair, and pledged that "it has no intention of infringing on
Chinese sovereignty and
territorial integrity, or interfering in China's internal affairs, or
pursuing a policy of ?wo Chinas' or
?ne china, one Taiwan'."

It also clearly declared that it did not seek to carry out a long-term
policy of arms sales to Taiwan.

It promised that "its arms sales to Taiwan will not exceed, in
qualitative or quantitative terms, the
level of those supplied in recent years since the establishment of
diplomatic relations between the
United States and China".

It also said it intended to gradually reduce its arms sales to Taiwan,
leading to a final resolution of
this issue over a period of time.

"In so stating, the United States acknowledges China's consistent
position regarding the thorough
settlement of this issue," the communique stated.

The US needs to be aware of the seriousness and danger of arms sales to
Taiwan. It must
cancel the sales and take practical steps to correct its mistake.

According to the communique, "in order to bring about a final
settlement of the question of US arms
sales to Taiwan over a period of time, which is an issue rooted in
history, the two governments will
make every effort to adopt measures and create conditions conducive to
the thorough settlement of
this issue."

However, the United States has decided to sell advanced arms and
equipment in large quantities in
spite of its pledge and the basic norms of international relations,Yang
said.

He said the determination of the Chinese Government and people to
safeguard national sovereignty
and territorial integrity is unchangeable and that the Taiwan issue
will surely be resolved and China
will be completely reunified.

China believes in certain principles in developing Sino-US relations,
he said. Improved and
expanded relations must be based on the three joint communiques between
China and the United
States, and the principles of these communiques should not be violated.

China solemnly demands that the US Government proceed from the general
interests of Sino-US
relations and deal properly with problems in that regard.

China believes in certain principles in developing Sino-US relations,
Yang said. Improved and
expanded relations must be based on the three joint communiques between
China and the
United States and the principles of these communiques should not be
violated.

In particular, the US Government should strictly observe the three
joint communiques and its pledge
on the Taiwan issue.

The United States needs to fully understand the seriousness and danger
of selling arms to Taiwan and
must correct its mistake through concrete actions by canceling the arms
sales, Yang said.

Last January, when the US Congress attempted to include Taiwan in its
Theater Missile Defense
(TMD) system, the Chinese government again reiterated that the mainland
will not resort to military
force unless "Taiwan independence" occurs or foreign forces interfere
in China's reunification.

Hong Kong's Wen Wei Po reported on January 11 that Taiwan had bought
several sets of Compatriot
II missiles, distributing them around the city of Taipei, and that a
high-ranked military official from
Taiwan said it would spend US$1 billion on Compatriot III missiles in
the next few years.

Observers, at that time, said, "Taiwan spends so much money buying
advanced weapons. This makes
people wonder if the Taiwan authorities are aiming for ?aiwan
independence'."

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