Posted on 03/09/2010 9:43:29 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
China on Tuesday warned the United States against any future arms sales to Taiwan, including F-16 fighter jets the island has been pushing for in hopes of upgrading its air defense capabilities.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said China is firmly opposed to U.S. sales of weapons to Taiwan, the self-ruled island that the communist government in Beijing regards as part of its territory and has vowed to conquer by force if necessary.
Asked to comment on reports that Taiwan is pushing to buy F-16s from the United States, Qin said Beijing hoped the U.S. would "take China's position seriously and respect China's core interests and major concerns."
Incensed by the January announcement that the U.S. planned to sell $6.4 billion in weapons to Taiwan, Beijing suspended military exchanges with the U.S. and has threatened to retaliate against U.S. aerospace firms involved in the deal.
Since Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou came into office in May 2008, Taiwan has consistently pressed the United States to supply it with 66 F-16 C/Ds, an upgrade on its present inventory of F-16 A/Bs.
The issue was underscored last month when a Pentagon report painted a grim picture of Taiwan's air defense capabilities, saying that many of the island's 400 combat aircraft would not be available to help withstand an attack from rival China.
Many observers saw the study as justification for the possible sale of advanced fighter jets to Taiwan. The U.S. says the F-16 request remains under study
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China’s against it? well hell, give them a free one then for every 5 they buy. First tank of gas is on us.
Barry’s going to cave. You watch.
Yup
We won’t make it to 5 years at this rate.
I figure our nukes could kill about two thirds of their population and have the rest glowing green. Until China gets a decent missle shield and the ability to project its forces to our mainland we have very little to worry about. Give it thirty years.
China owns Jack Squat Barry, as well as SEIU, ACORN, Wall Street, Soros, etc., etc.
George Bush changed that process how?...
If this President has his way, in thirty years we won't have a missile shield or a nuclear arsenal.
:) Suppose they would be screwed if we, the US, say...defaulted?
Plenty of countries will default along with us and causing a economic disaster. The world’s economy are very interconnected.
What American assets were nationalized by the CCP in 1949?
Add interest for the last 6 decades, compounded annually.
Call it even.
lulz, I hear ya.
Maybe this is Bo throwing the US weight around since he knows China’s playing some hardball?
Like on Iran?
Screw ‘em, sell the planes. Thanks for the help with N. Korea and Iran China.
Not only would I like to see us protect our Sphere of Influence and Allies, but 66 F-16s is over a 4 billion dollar deal. In 2009, Taiwan bought the 4th most weaponry from the USA.
Here are the numbers from Reuters, just in case anyone is curious. A record 38.1 billion dollars in arms deals were made in 2009.
The top purchasing countries in 2009 were United Arab Emirates ($7.9 billion), Afghanistan ($5.4 billion) and Saudi Arabia ($3.3 billion), followed by Taiwan ($3.2 billion), Egypt ($2.1 billion), Iraq ($1.6 billion), NATO ($924.5 million), Australia ($818.7 million) and South Korea ($716.6 million).
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