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China defence chief calls on US to scrap Taiwan weapons deal
Beijing (AFP) Dec 8, 2008 China's defence minister called on the United States on Monday to drop a planned weapons sale to Taiwan, saying it threatened Sino-US defence cooperation, state media reported. Minister Liang Guanglie also called on Washington to cease all military ties with Taiwan, during a meeting in Beijing with the visiting former chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Richard Myers, Xinhua news agency said. "The US arms sale to Taiwan has poisoned the sound atmosphere of bilateral military relations and endangered China's national security," Liang was quoted as telling Myers. The Pentagon notified Congress in October that it planned to sell 6.5 billion dollars of military hardware to Taiwan, Beijing's longtime diplomatic rival. The sale was expected to include advanced interceptor missiles, Apache attack helicopters and submarine-launched missiles. The US Defence Department has said the proposed sale was aimed at improving Taiwan's defences and would not alter the basic military balance in the region. However, China has voiced repeated objections over the sale to the democratically ruled island, which it considers part of China awaiting reunification with the mainland -- by force, if necessary. In October, Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei summoned the charge d'affaires at the US Embassy to protest against the US move, Xinhua said at the time. If the deal goes ahead, it would end a year-long lull in US arms sales to Taipei, which has enjoyed improved relations with China since President Ma Ying-jeou was elected earlier this year on a platform of easing tensions with the mainland. Ma has thanked Washington for the planned deal, while reiterating his pledge to improve ties with China. Taiwan and the mainland have been governed separately since they split in 1949 at the end of a civil war. Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Taiwan News at SinoDaily.com
De facto US envoy believes Obama won't change Taiwan policy
Taipei (AFP) Dec 4, 2008The de facto US envoy to Taipei said Thursday he believes President-elect Barack Obama will not change Washington's policy on Taiwan since its "consistency" has aided the island's recent prosperity. |
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