Double Dealing over the Taiwan Question?

Set as Homepage|Register|Sign InChinese|Big 5|French|Russian|Spanish|Japanese|Arabic|Korean

Special Coverage|PD Online DatabaseSina MicroblogTencent MicroblogFeedbackRSS

   

NewsOpinionsChina MilitaryForeign AffairsChina BusinessLife&CultureForum

Latest News:  

• Blast kills two in S. Philippines
• Power supply to remain tight this summer despite cooling economy
• Herchcovitch creations presented at Fashion Rio
• Chinese Navy survey vessel starts visit to Indonesia
• EU leaders to focus on growth at G20 Mexico Summit
• Greece needs growth vision: Austrian economist
• Pakistan-U.S. relations worsen: British think tank
• Gunman shots self after hostage released in Indiana State, U.S.
• U.S. reacts cautiously to traces of Iran's high-grade uranium
• Thai king travels outside Bangkok first time in three years

Beijing   Sunny/Overcast    28 / 16 ℃  City Forecast

Home>>Foreign Affairs

What is the US' aim behind arms sales to Taiwan?

By Wang Xinjun (People's Daily Overseas Edition)

08:25, May 24, 2012

Edited and Translated by People's Daily Online

At a time when the China-U.S. defense ministers just reached a four-point consensus and people are full of hope to the new stage of the military relations between the two countries, the U.S. Department of Defense submitted its annual report on China's military and security developments on May 18, 2012, again clamoring the "China military threat."

On the same day, the U.S. House of Representatives voted through an act, approving selling at least 66 F-16C/D fighters to help it to resist the so-called "military threat from Chinese mainland." This shows that in order to make an excuse for arms sales to Taiwan and other military measures, the report turned a blind eye to the development and progress of cross-Strait relations in recent years but emphasized the so-called "cross-Strait military imbalance."

People still clearly remembered the first two points of the four-point consensus signed by China-U.S. defense ministers. First, both the Chinese and U.S. militaries are committed to develop a healthy, stable and reliable military relationship under the framework of mutual respect, mutual benefit and win-win partnership. Second, continue to strengthen the strategic communication between the two defense departments and the two armies, enhance the strategic mutual trust through dialogue and consultation and properly handle differences and sensitive issues.

However, how does the United States "respect" its partner and "properly handle" differences and sensitive issues?

The U.S. strategists know exactly that the cross-Strait relationship is the core interests of China and the most sensitive issue in China-U.S. relations. Therefore, it has the most advantageous value to the United States on its strategy against China. The United States thinks that it can always grasp the initiative in the China-U.S. relations as long as it knows this point clearly. When handling the cross-Strait relations, the United States always keeps double-dealing and benefits from it, but the purpose and content are different at different times. In the past, Taiwan was "an unsinkable aircraft carrier" in the U.S. strategy against China and now it became a strategic pawn for the United States to set a new order in East Asia region.