Posted on 09/28/2005 6:13:38 PM PDT by Flavius
BEIJING - A planned American weapons sale to Taiwan will damage relations between Washington and Beijing, a Chinese official said, ahead of next month's visit to China by U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. ADVERTISEMENT
Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said China could never accept the proposed $15.3 billion sale — involving eight diesel-powered submarines, 12 anti-submarine aircraft and six Patriot missile batteries — because it constituted interference in China's affairs.
Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949, and China has threatened the use of force against the self-governing island if it declares formal independence.
"(The weapons deal) would undermine national security and the unification of China and harm relations between the U.S. and China," Qin told reporters Tuesday. "We urge the U.S. to clearly recognize the serious harm the weapons package entails."
Qin's comments came several weeks ahead of a planned visit to the mainland by Rumsfeld, who has questioned the need for China's recent military buildup, saying in June that the country did not face sufficient threats to justify it.
The proposed weapons deal was first approved by the Bush administration in 2001 but has since been delayed by Taiwan's opposition Nationalist Party, which has a small legislative majority.
The Nationalists say the weapons purchase would throw Taiwan into an arms race with China that it could not afford, while President Chen Shui-bian's ruling Democratic Progressive Party believes that China's increased military spending leaves Taiwan no choice.
The Nationalists support eventual unification with mainland China, while the DPP seeks to strengthen Taiwan's status as a self-governing entity.
Quid pro Quo China. You back us at the UN on Iraq, we will think about it.
Opps meant to say on IRAN.
anyone ever hear WHAT diesel boats we're supposed to crap? We haven't had a diesel boat in, gad, years (way before I was a gleam in my pappy's eye!)
It’s pretty funny. China is building its 1960's army with broken russian scrap, and paying top dollar for it.
Taiwan gets 2 boats and the chicoms have to build more scrap metal...
Gots to love high tech...
I believe we're planning to have them built just for this purpose.
Hey, whatever works. Taiwanese ADRs go down everytime China buys another junker. Maybe this sale will keep the timid from worrying so much
"To assure that a free country stays that way."
Well said.
The PRC has painted itself into a corner on this issue and could probably merge with Taiwan in 20 or 30 years and no one would know the difference.
Yeah, I recall reading that too. My question is, how far has that gone? I think it was a Dutch firm, FWIW.
>The Nationalists support eventual unification with mainland
>China ...
We have some of those here also!
China has the same personality defect that Jung-Il has.
If the sh*t must hit the fan between China and the USA, it's in our favor that it happen sooner rather than later.
The newer diesel boats are much quieter than the nukes and are more difficult to detect. Since they would be used only to patrol the Taiwan Strait and aren't for long patrols, they are just what are needed.
Agree. I was just wondering where these phantom boats were coming from; unless the Dutch (or whomever) got their panties out of a wad and started actually building them.
good excuse to get back into the game... diesel pigboats are
*really* quiet and are great if they don't have to roam too far...
Unfortunately, the Chinese know this too.
There were a lot of Chinese Generals kicking themselves in the rear the last couple of weeks(Katrina-Rita) because they were not in a position/ready to take Taiwan.
True enough ;) Anything to scary the willies outta the CHICOMS is alright in my book.
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