China Threatens Sanctions Over U.S. Arms Sale to Taiwan
January 31st, 2010Via: Los Angeles Times:
Angered by a $6 billion U.S. arms sale to Taiwan, Beijing puts security exchanges with U.S. on hold and threatens sanctions against U.S. firms selling to Taipei.
The Chinese government Saturday announced a series of harsh retaliatory measures in protest of the Pentagon’s $6-billion arms sale to Taiwan, including a suspension of security exchanges and threatened sanctions on U.S. companies selling to Taiwan.
“The U.S. decision seriously endangers China’s national security and harms China’s core interests,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement attributed to spokesman Huang Xueping.
Denunciations from Beijing over arms sales to Taiwan have an element of ritual about them, but the threat of sanctions on U.S. arms contractors is a new one. It remains to be seen whether China will follow through, given its need for commercial aircraft and aviation systems.
