China suspended military exchanges with the United States, threatened unprecedented sanctions against American defence companies and warned Saturday that co-operation would suffer after Washington announced $6.4 billion in planned arms sales to Taiwan.
The response to Friday's US announcement, while not entirely unexpected, was swift and indicated that China plans to put up a greater challenge than usual as it deals with the most sensitive topic in US-China relations. ``This is the strongest reaction we've seen so far in recent years,'' said Stephanie T. Kleine-Ahlbrandt, north-east Asia project director for the International Crisis Group. ``China is really looking to see what kind of reaction it's going to receive from Obama on this.''
China's Defence Ministry said the arms sales to self-governing Taiwan, which the mainland claims as its own, cause ``severe harm'' to overall US-China co-operation, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. Vice ministerial-level talks on arms control and strategic security were postponed. The warning comes as the US seeks Beijing's help on issues including the global financial crisis and nuclear stand-offs in North Korea and Iran. Tensions were already high after recent US comments on Internet freedom and a dispute between Google and China, as well as President Barack Obama's plan to meet with Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama this year.
China's Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei told US Ambassador Jon Huntsman that the sales of Black Hawk helicopters, Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles and other weapons to Taiwan would ``cause consequences that both sides are unwilling to see,'' a ministry statement said. The Foreign Ministry also threatened sanctions against US companies involved in the arms sales, which hasn't happened in past sales to Taiwan.
``Our action regarding Taiwan reinforces our commitment to stability in the region,'' US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Saturday. ``We know China has a different view. Given our broad relationship with China, we will manage this issue as we have in the past.''
The United States is Taiwan's most important ally and largest arms supplier, and it's bound by law to ensure the island is able to respond to Chinese threats. China responds angrily to any proposed arms sales, however, and it also cut off military ties with the US in 2008 after the former Bush administration announced a multibillion-dollar arms sale to Taiwan.
A similar cut-off of military ties was expected this time, but it comes as Washington and Beijing wanted to improve normally frosty relations between their armed forces. The US has tried to use military visits to build trust with Beijing and learn more about the aims of its massive military buildup. ``In the past, these kinds of suspensions have lasted for three to six months, with some parts of the military-to-military relationship suspended beyond that,'' said Phillip Saunders, a distinguished research fellow at the National Defence University in Washington. ``I expect something similar this time.''
It's not known whether the arms sale will affect President Hu Jintao's expected visit to the US this year or a summit on nuclear safety in the US this spring. Experts on China warned Beijing could take further steps to punish the United States to show its new-found power and confidence in world affairs.
Jin Canrong, a professor of international studies at China's Renmin University, said the sale would give Beijing a ``fair and proper reason'' to accelerate weapons testing. China test-fired rockets in recent weeks for an anti-missile defence system in what security experts said was a display of anger at the pending arms sale. ``The US will pay a price for this. Starting now, China will make some substantial retaliation, such as reducing co-operation on the North Korea and Iran nuclear issues and anti-terrorism work,'' Jin added.
The latest suspension of military ties should affect planned visits to China by US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates and Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff. A visit to the US by the Chinese military's chief of the general staff, General Chen Bingde, could also be called off.
The US Congress has 30 days to comment on the newest arms sales before the plan goes forward. Lawmakers traditionally have supported such sales. Though Taiwan's ties with China have warmed considerably since Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou took office 20 months ago, Beijing has threatened to invade if the island ever formalises its de facto independence. China has more than 1,000 ballistic missiles aimed at Taiwan.
China often argues that arms sales to Taiwan hurt their relations, but Saunders said that despite the latest announcement and the one in 2008, ``cross-Strait relations have never been better.'' The Pentagon's decision not to include the fighters and a design plan for diesel submarines two items Taiwan wants most ``shows that the Obama administration is deeply concerned about China's response,'' said Wang Kao-cheng, a defence expert at Taipei's Tamkang University.
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