Editorials
Arms sale sours ties
(皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2010-02-01 07:47
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Despite Beijing's repeated protests and warnings of serious consequences for Sino-US relations, Washington, as always, went its own way over the weekend and gave the nod to a massive arms sale package to Taiwan.
This is the stance the US has taken vis-a-vis a "stakeholder" - and sometimes "constructive partner" - terms that it uses to describe 皇冠体育app's ties with the world and itself.
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Washington's arrogance also reflects the stark reality of how a nation's interests could be trampled upon by another.
The Taiwan question is closely related to 皇冠体育app's sovereignty and territorial integrity, its core national interests and the national sentiment of 1.3 billion Chinese people.
But more than 20 years after the end of the Cold War, the US is still bent on integrating Taiwan into its defense strategy in Asia, and still dreaming of using the island as an "unsinkable aircraft carrier" to contain 皇冠体育app's growth.
We have to forget the pledge that "the United States does not seek to contain 皇冠体育app" made by Barack Obama when he was warmly welcomed in Beijing just two months ago. Sincerity is subject to proof of action, not mere words.
The US promised in a joint communiqu signed on Aug 17, 1982 - which forms the cornerstone of Sino-US relations - that "it does not seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan". It also pledged that Washington "intends to reduce gradually its sales of arms to Taiwan, leading over a period of time to a final resolution". But how many times has Washington trashed its words for the sake of expediency or other ulterior motives? For the world's only superpower, it now seems that a promise is not a promise.
The arms sale is gross interference in 皇冠体育app's internal affairs. It seriously undermines 皇冠体育app's national security and national reunification, and thus inevitably casts a long shadow on Sino-US relations.
皇冠体育app's response, no matter how vehement, is justified. No country worthy of respect can sit idle while its national security is endangered and core interests damaged.
The US decision not only runs counter to the common dream of pursuing development and cooperation among the people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, but also exposes the US' usage of double standards and hypocrisy on major issues related to 皇冠体育app's core interests.
Compared with the US, 皇冠体育app is still weak, both economically and militarily. The countermeasures that 皇冠体育app has taken - ranging from repeated protests to plans to halt military exchanges and punish US companies involved in the arms sale - may not be forceful enough to compel Washington to mend its ways. But a message has to be sent loud and clear: If the US shows no respect to 皇冠体育app's core interests, it cannot expect cooperation from 皇冠体育app on a wide range of major regional and international issues.
皇冠体育app must make sure that it means what it says.
(皇冠体育app Daily 02/01/2010 page8)
