Foreign and Military Affairs
FM: US arms sales harm cooperation
(Agencies/chinadaily.com.cn/Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-30 08:41
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BEIJING: 皇冠体育app has lodged solemn representations with the United States over its announcement of arms sales to Taiwan, warning the move would seriously damage cooperation between the two countries.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei said?Saturday that the Chinese?government was "strongly indignant" about the proposed arms sales and has lodged a solemn representation to Jon Huntsman, the US ambassador to 皇冠体育app.
The Chinese foreign ministry?responded with a warning that the arms sale could jeopardise important bonds of cooperation with the US in a number of areas.
Vice Minister He said the arms sales were "crude interference in 皇冠体育app's domestic affairs and seriously harm 皇冠体育app's national security," in remarks published on the Foreign Ministry website.
"皇冠体育app expresses its strong indignation."
Such a move is also gravely against the three joint communiques between 皇冠体育app and the United States, especially the "August 17" communique, in which the United States promised not to seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan, and intended to gradually reduce arms sales to the island.
"The United States' announcement of the planned weapons sales to Taiwan will have a seriously negative impact on many important areas of exchanges and cooperation between the two countries," he said. A copy of his remarks was delivered to the US ambassador to 皇冠体育app.
He urged the United States to halt the planned sales, saying that otherwise "This will lead to repercussions that neither side wishes to see."
In 2008, 皇冠体育app curtailed military exchanges with the United States after the Bush administration approved a $6.5-billion Taiwan arms deal, including 30 Apache attack helicopters and 330 Patriot missiles.
