China protests US arms sales plan to Taiwan
- Source: Global Times
- [09:27 January 30 2010]
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China on Saturday expressed "strong indignation" to the United States decision to sell a package of arms worth about 6.4 billion US dollars to Taiwan and warned damage to bilateral ties.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei has lodged a solemn representation to Jon Huntsman, the US ambassador to China, after the Pentagon notified the US Congress of the proposed arms sales to Taiwan, which include Patriot missiles, Black Hawk helicopters and minesweepers.
The Obama administration notified the US Congress on Friday of its first proposed arms sales to Taiwan, a potential $6.4 billion package including Black Hawk helicopters, Patriot "Advanced Capability-3" anti-missile missiles, and command-and-control technology.
Such a move is gravely against the three joint communiques between China and the United States, especially the "Aug. 17" communique, in which the United States promised not to seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan, and intended to gradually reduce arms sales to the island.
The US decision "constitutes a gross intervention into China's internal affairs, seriously endangers China's national security and harms China's peaceful reunification efforts," a Foreign Ministry statement quoted He as saying.
"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 said.
He urged the United States to halt the planned sales, saying that otherwise "This will lead to repercussions that neither side wishes to see."
He urged the US side to "fully recognize the gravity of the issue, revoke the erroneous decision on arms sales to Taiwan and stop selling weapons to Taiwan."
In 2008, China curtailed military exchanges with the United States after the Bush administration approved a 6.5-billion-US-dollar Taiwan arms deal, including 30 Apache attack helicopters and 330 Patriot missiles.
Agencies
