US announces $6bn Taiwan arms sale plans

enlightened1

Member of The Month JANUARY 2010
Regular Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
880
Likes
60
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8488389.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8488389.stm

The Pentagon has notified Congress of a proposed arms sale to Taiwan, worth $6bn (£3.7bn).

The weapons, including helicopters and anti-missile defences, are part of a package first pledged by the Bush administration.

Beijing considers the self-governed island a breakaway province of China and reacted angrily, saying the move would "seriously damage" its US ties.

Taiwan split from China at the end of the country's civil war in 1949.

Beijing has hundreds of missiles pointed at the island and has threatened in the past to use force to bring it under its control.

Beijing warning

The $6.7bn (£4.2bn) package does not include F-16 fighter jets, an item highly desired by Taiwan's military.

The notification to Congress by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

US lawmakers have 30 days to comment on the proposed sale, Associated Press reported. If there are no objections, it would proceed.

The arms package includes 114 Patriot missiles, 60 Black Hawk helicopters and communications equipment for Taiwan's F-16 fleet, the agency said in a statement.

Beijing has already warned the US not to go ahead with arms sales to Taiwan. Ties between China and the US are strained by rows over trade and internet censorship.

The DSCA said the proposed sale would support Taiwan's "continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and enhance its defensive capability."

It added: "The proposed sale will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region."

The US is the leading arms supplier to Taiwan, despite switching diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

PROPOSED ARMS SALE
114 Patriot missiles ($2.81bn)
60 Black Hawk helicopters ($3.1bn)
Communication equipment for F-16 fleet ($340m)
2 Osprey mine-hunting ships ($105m)
12 Harpoon missiles ($37m)
 

A.V.

New Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
6,503
Likes
1,157
US to sell missiles, ships, helicopters to Taiwan

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon on Friday unveiled plans to sell more than six billion dollars in arms to Taiwan, including missiles and helicopters,
but did not meet Taipei's request for F-16 fighter jets.

Amid speculation Washington was preparing to act on Taiwan's request for weapons, China had warned Washington against more arms sales to the island.

The arms package includes Patriot missiles, Black Hawk helicopters and communications equipment for Taiwan's F-16 fleet but no new fighter aircraft that had been part of Taipei's wish list, according to the Defense Cooperation Security Agency.

Under the proposed sale, Taiwan would receive 114 Patriot missiles -- worth 2.81 billion dollars -- and 60 Black Hawk helicopters -- worth 3.1 billion dollars, as well as Harpoon missiles and mine-hunting ships, the agency said in a statement.

Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou, despite warming ties with Beijing, has appealed to the United States for weapons, saying the island must stay on guard in light of the mainland's sharp rise in military spending.

Washington is the leading arms supplier to self-ruled Taiwan, despite switching diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

China and Taiwan split at the end of a civil war in 1949. Beijing still views the island as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.

During his visit to China in November, US President Barack Obama reiterated that the United States believed there was only one China.

The United States is required by law to provide Taiwan with weapons of a defensive nature, under the Taiwan Relations Act.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...rs-to-Taiwan-Pentagon/articleshow/5515191.cms
 

amoy

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Messages
5,982
Likes
1,849
China urges US to stop arms sales to Taiwan

Updated: 2010-01-31 08:36 Comments(18) PrintMail Large Medium Small
NICOSIA: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi expressed his solemn position on the US arms sales to Taiwan here Saturday, urging the US to stop selling weapons to the Chinese province.

Yang, who is paying an official visit to Cyprus, said in disregard of strong opposition and repeated protest from China, the US administration flagrantly announced its plan to sell the weapons to Taiwan worth about 6.4 billion dollars.

Related readings:
China to halt military exchanges with US
China to punish US companies for arms sales
China suspends military visits with US
China offers business opportunities for US companies: US expert
China wants more dialogue with US



Such a move is gravely against the three joint communiques between China and the United States, especially the "August 17" communique, Yang said, adding that it constitutes crude interference in China's internal affairs, and harms China's national security and peaceful reunification efforts.

China firmly opposes such a move which runs counter to the US commitment to support the peaceful growth of the cross-Strait relations, he said.

The Chinese foreign minister urged the US side to adopt a serious attitude towards the Chinese position, earnestly respect China's core interests and major concerns, revoke immediately the erroneous decision on the arms sales to Taiwan and stop selling weapons so as not to undermine the China-US relations.

Yang Jiechi said China has repeatedly stated its position on the US arms sales to Taiwan. During a recent meeting in London between the foreign ministers of the two countries, the Chinese side again made clear its solemn stand on the issue, urging the US side to fully recognize the gravity of the issue and stop selling weapons to Taiwan, he added.

The Obama administration Friday notified the US Congress of the plan to sell the weapons to Taiwan. The arms sales would include 114 Patriot (PAC-3) anti-missile systems, 60 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, 12 Harpoon Block II Telemetry missiles, 2 Osprey Class mine hunting ships and a command and control enhancement system, according to a Pentagon website.
The US abides by those treaties or communiques only when they're in its interest. No surprise for a unipolar or a good 'businessman' - Let's see China's tit-for-tat response, in issues such as N. Korea Nuclear program, Iran...
 
Last edited:

Yusuf

GUARDIAN
Super Mod
Joined
Mar 24, 2009
Messages
24,324
Likes
11,757
Country flag
Finally obama has shown he has got some balls. he has been bending over in front of the chinese for too long. I am loving this. China has threatened the US of economic fall out. really!!! What a sad joke that is. Who the hell will they sell their cheap stuff if the US doesn't buy?
 

amoy

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Messages
5,982
Likes
1,849
Finally obama has shown he has got some balls.
That's what almost every US administration plays - arms sales to Taiwan - a leverage against China and also to please the lobbyists for the arms exporters Lockheed Martin alike.

Who the hell will they sell their cheap stuff if the US doesn't buy?
thats why it's a correct policy nowadays to unleash the enormous demand within China herself by tax rebates . Formerly China has been too much relying on export i.e. foreign demands while the domestic consumption has been depressed somehow.

Those 'cheap' stuffs unlike 'hitech' things are mostly related to people's daily life. Besides don't forget despite the trade surplus China is the No.1 buyer of the US's Boeing airplanes and other more value-added items.
 

Agantrope

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Messages
1,247
Likes
77
i bought a chocolate in US, chocolate made in US, Tin made in China.

If it threatens to stop its export means they are doing like an elephant putting sand in its head. China and US are close trade partners. So i dont except anything worse
 

neo29

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2009
Messages
1,284
Likes
30
This move should really upset china, but there is nothing they can do about it .

Infact if china can supply defence hardware to pakistan and support them on kashmir, why cant india have defence relations with taiwan ?
 
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
29,799
Likes
48,280
Country flag
This move should really upset china, but there is nothing they can do about it .

Infact if china can supply defence hardware to pakistan and support them on kashmir, why cant india have defence relations with taiwan ?
What would we gain from having defence relations with Taiwan?? They already have USA and Japan's support and there is not much of a weapon manufacturing base to interest India.
 

Yusuf

GUARDIAN
Super Mod
Joined
Mar 24, 2009
Messages
24,324
Likes
11,757
Country flag
traditionally taiwan and india are not the best of friends. Remember Nehru played a good role in supporting China and oust taiwan from the UN.
 

neo29

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2009
Messages
1,284
Likes
30
traditionally taiwan and india are not the best of friends. Remember Nehru played a good role in supporting China and oust taiwan from the UN.
very true , but times changing. before cold war israel was not our friend. relationships need to be build.
 
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
29,799
Likes
48,280
Country flag
very true , but times changing. before cold war israel was not our friend. relationships need to be build.
If we want relations in that part of the world we have quiet a few already Japan,Singapore,Malaysia,Indonesia,and South Korea,Vietnam. Taiwan is not worth the time or the headache, it has been used as leverage against China by the West and for China it has become a symbolic issue, for us it is meaningless. Israel Indian ties were bound to happen after decades of not recognizing Israel and supporting the Palestinian cause and gaining nothing from it and being shunned by the OIC it was the next logical step to abandon a useless policy and start diplomatic ties and a new policy.
 

Latest Replies

Global Defence

New threads

Articles

Top