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China-Japan-Koreas
Chicoms: Sell us weapons even though we’re going to attack Taiwan
2005-03-22
China appealed to the European Union on Tuesday to go ahead with plans to lift a 15-year-old arms embargo, reacting angrily to reports that action might be delayed because of Beijing's passage of a law authorizing a military attack on Taiwan. "Linking these two issues is unreasonable," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao. "The passage of the anti-secession law is an effort to ease tensions across the Taiwan Straits. ... The key to ease tensions is to check Taiwan's secessionary forces and to stop all secessionist activities."

You will sell us weapons to use against Taiwan and you will do it now! Now I see where the Norks got their charming approach to diplomacy.
Posted by:AzCat

#8  MD: Brilliant diplomacy. Send 'em to Dale Carnegie.

The point of diplomacy is to let other people have it your way. Will the Euros not lift the embargo simply because of the Taiwan announcement? I doubt it - there will be a flurry of activity to indicate reconsideration, but the embargo will be lifted. No doubt about it - if France will sell to Iraq, it will sell to China.

Note that the point of the Taiwan pronouncement was multi-faceted - (1) to cow the Taiwanese into surrendering without a shot, (2) to warn what China considers outside interlopers that war is coming and (3) to prepare the Chinese public for future confrontation. Note that diplomatic sticks can be brandished for years and years without any cost to China. If one tack doesn't work, they can always try another. Winning without war is the name of the game - and they are pushing it as far as they can with a mix of bluff and bluster. Any invasion would cost the lives of tens of thousands of Chinese troops. I can't really blame them for trying - if I were in their position, I'd do the exact same thing - as Churchill once said, if you can afford to (i.e. you're not actually under attack), jaw-jaw is generally less costly than war-war.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2005-03-22 6:56:38 PM  

#7  Tree hut scholar Liu is easily offended.
Posted by: Kee   2005-03-22 11:49:47 AM  

#6  I waiting for them to bang their shoes on the table.
Posted by: ed   2005-03-22 11:41:02 AM  

#5  watch out when Army First guy starts moonlighting for Liu
Posted by: Frank G   2005-03-22 11:10:45 AM  

#4  Unreasonable linkage! APOLOGIZE! They seem to prefer the modified "school of charms" approach these days.
Posted by: Tkat   2005-03-22 10:54:02 AM  

#3  Brilliant diplomacy. Send 'em to Dale Carnegie.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2005-03-22 10:44:03 AM  

#2  "Linking these two issues is unreasonable," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao.

I wonder if he said this with a straight face?
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2005-03-22 10:41:45 AM  

#1  Article: The passage of the anti-secession law is an effort to ease tensions across the Taiwan Straits. ... The key to ease tensions is to check Taiwan’s secessionary forces and to stop all secessionist activities.

Pre-war Germany's annexation of Czechoslovakia certainly eased international tensions with that country. No nation, ergo no international tensions.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2005-03-22 10:24:15 AM  

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