| Submit your comments on this article |
| East Asia |
| China’s Premier Urges U.S. to Curb Taiwan |
| 2003-11-25 |
| Sure, we’ll get right on it. EFL. BEIJING (AP) - China’s premier says the United States must recognize the danger of the Taiwan president’s ``separatist agenda’’ and oppose any effort toward formal independence for the island. Premier Wen Jiabao, in an interview with The Washington Post published Sunday, also said his country does not want ``excessive and long-term’’ trade surpluses with the United States. "And in thirty years we’ll run a trade deficit with you guys. See how fair that is?" Wen called Taiwan the ``most important and sensitive issue’’ in Sino-U.S. relations. He said Beijing wants peaceful unification with Taiwan, but he insisted that Washington abide by a commitment not to increase weapons sales to the island, which has been ruled separately since 1949. "Marvin, how do we handle this one?" "Mr. Secretary, I don’t see the problem with our arms sales." "But now we’re going to sell missile frigates and AWACS to Taiwan, whereas fifty years we were selling them rifles!" "Mr. Secretary, the total number of parts on the invoice is the same. One rifle then, one F-18 today." "Ah, very good, Marvin." Wen’s comments came amid unusually bellicose This is a little more than the usual run-up to the Taiwanese election. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #5 Actually one of the problems with high tech arms transfers IS the possibility of China invading Taiwan or Taiwan acquiecing to China' and readmitting itself back. I agree. In addition, there's the risk that the Taiwanese military is jam-packed with Chinese spies, which means that anything we hand over to the Taiwanese may find its way into future Chinese weapons designs. Note that some Taiwanese remain Chinese nationalists, in the manner that not all Americans were supporters of the American revolution in 1776. These individuals would be targeted by China's spy recruiters, and in some cases, might even volunteer their services to Beijing. The fact is that the Taiwanese education system has continued teaching the traditional Chinese curriculum, which considers Vietnam, Korea, Burma, Mongolia, Siberia and parts of the Central Asian 'stans (basically every square foot of land the Manchu dynasty ever stepped on) to be Chinese territory. The basic point is that Taiwan is not the UK - it is an ally, but unlike the UK, has very different interests from ours. It is in our security interests to prevent Taiwan from becoming part of China, but that's about the extent of the relationship. Apart from our security ties with them, Taiwan's attitude towards the US is kind of like France's (based on my survey of Taiwan's English language press). |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2003-11-25 3:50:04 PM |
| #4 A successful, reasonably democratic Chinese country on the doorstep of the PRC is as much of a threat to China as a democratic Iraq is to the black hats. |
| Posted by: whitecollar redneck 2003-11-25 9:21:34 AM |
| #3 Actually one of the problems with high tech arms transfers IS the possibility of China invading Taiwan or Taiwan acquiecing to China' and readmitting itself back. If that happens, high tech like that found in our Arleigh Burke destroyers, Patriot missile systems, and god knows what else will find its way into Chinese hands very quickly. Its a damned if you don't and damned if you do situation. |
| Posted by: Val 2003-11-25 5:23:08 AM |
| #2 They've been de-facto independent since Chang led 'em over there in what, '49? The PRC just doesn't want 'em *saying* so. It's all about face. |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-11-25 12:58:05 AM |
| #1 I still say it's hard to invade when millions of starving NorKs are streaming across your border and since you've had some bad crops years, will have to import wheat and other staples to feed your own. Do you really want to bite off more than you can chew? |
| Posted by: Anonymous2U 2003-11-25 12:47:43 AM |