Posted on 12/15/2002 8:50:05 AM PST by Enemy Of The State
The US wants China to reconsider
By George Tsai ½²Þ³
Sunday, Dec 15, 2002,Page 8 During his US trip in late October, Chinese President Jiang Zemin (¦¿¿A¥Á) proposed to freeze China's missile deployment in exchange for reduced US arms sales to Taiwan. This information is not a groundless rumor; it has been acknowledged true by Taiwan's representative to the US Chen Chien-jen (µ{«Ø¤H) and former US defense secretary William Perry.
However, Washington turned down Beijing's suggestion, stressing that US arms sales to Taipei are carried out in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act, and that China's military threat against Taiwan is the main reason why the US is increasing its arms sales to the island.
The cause-and-effect relationship has to be clarified, and the US hopes that China should seriously think over the negative effect of its missile threat to the island.
The issue came into the spotlight again during the recent Sino-US defense talks. Still, from Washington's perspective, only when Beijing reduces its missile threat against Taipei can the arms race and the tense situation across the Taiwan Strait be eased. It seems that Taiwan's massive propaganda highlighting China's missile threat some time ago had some impact.
A comprehensive view of the case tells us that it's a three-way wrestling match between Taiwan, China and the US. First, China greatly increased the number of missiles targeting Taiwan. It then offered to freeze the greatly expanded scale of its missile deployment, wishing to link its missile deployment with US arms sales to the island.
This is Beijing trying to sell the Brooklyn Bridge again. If the US accepted the deal, China would try to take credit as an agent of peace even after a large buildup; and if the US refused, China would say it has to counter US arms sales.
Taiwan only wants to highlight Beijing's ongoing threat. It will never agree to link China's missile deployment with US arms sales to Taiwan -- which not only violates the six US promises to Taiwan but also will cause more problems.
The US, has swung back and forth between Taiwan and China, putting pressure on them both. Why wouldn't it be glad to continue the situation since it can pin Beijing down for aggression while making profits from selling weapons to Taipei?
To be blunt, Beijing's offer to freeze its missile deployment was not sincere. Even if it promises to scale-down its missile preparedness, Taipei would not believe it and would demand third-party verification, or even further demand that Beijing destroy all its missiles.
The arms race across the Strait is an unnecessary evil. Its a never-ending nightmare!
George Tsai is a research fellow in the Institute of International Relations at National Chengchi University.
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