Posted on 05/31/2004 7:04:39 PM PDT by wagglebee
Britain is likely to back anticipated moves by some European Union nations to end a 15-year-long ban on arms sales to China, a report said late Monday.
Britain is expected to line up alongside France and Germany in arguing that the restrictions, imposed after the 1989 massacre of pro-democracy protestors in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, should be ended, The Times said.
However any moves would most likely come to nothing as the United States would oppose the move and could even block European nations which sell arms to China from having access to US military technology, the newspaper said in its Tuesday edition.
London understood this position but was still keen to make the move as ministers believe a new EU code of conduct on arms sales would stop weapons being used by China for "external aggression or internal repression", it added.
In return, Britain is pushing for Beijing to sign up to an international agreement guaranteeing human rights, the paper said, citing unnamed senior British officials.
Earlier this month, Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao appealed to the EU to lift the arms ban as he visited Brussels as part of a European tour.
The report comes as China ratchets up the pressure against Taiwan, which Beijing has long promised to reunite with the mainland, by force if necessary, despite the island's 50-plus years of effective independence.
Earlier Monday a commentary by China's official Xinhua news agency lashed out at the United States for criticizing Beijing's actions towards Taiwan.
"Just because a handful of people inside and outside the island are still seeking 'Taiwan independence,' China cannot make a commitment to renouncing the use of force for realizing national reunification and has had to make necessary and limited military deployment," the Xinhua commentary said.
My feeling exactly, Why would any sane country want to sell arms to China? Obviously the money but its crazy to sell arms to someone who may meet you one day with the wrong end of the barrel.
Lining the inside of their own coffins.
I don't think the US should give advanced military weapons or technology to ANY country. Sure, we can give obsolete stuff to our allies as long as we have something better. Our friends today will be our enemies tomorrow. Hell, how many Americans died giving the Germans, French and Russians freedom? What about the nukes used Japanese that forced them out of China? Who then would have thought that not even 100 years later these same people (many still alive) would be bent on the weakening and/or destruction of their rescuers?
Its us and Japan in the Pacific theatre now. I dunno if the Aussies will join or not..but they better!
Australia is definitely on board from everything I've read.
Except for the fact that Clinton already beat them to it. China probably has more than the Europeans do (except maybe Britain).
Ouch!!!
This was expected of France and Germany, but Britain? That is a deep cut indeed.
Well actually this was expected-most European arms selling countries(barring odd ones like Spain&Sweden) have found very few takers for their new wares-the Americans have taken over their usualstrongholds(Persian Gulf) while the newest Russian&Israeli stuff which is both far cheaper&infact better is one up in newer areas(like South east Asia&India).This given with the fact that the EU itself has big plans for military intervention capability-makes the rebuilding of this sector imperative&What better way to do it than to lure the biggest buyers on the block-China&to a lesser extent India.The Brits desperately need something big-the last "big" deal they signed was last year for 66 hawk trainer jets with India.
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