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US rebuts China's missile outcry

The US on Friday rebutted objections by China to the Pentagon's plan to sell hundreds of advanced missiles to Taiwan, saying the sale comports with the US' obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act to sell defensive weapons to Taiwan.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the sale, announced in Washington on Wednesday, meets "the legitimate self-defense needs" of Taiwan.

He dismissed China's objections, saying that Beijing "apparently do[es] this on a regular basis" whenever US arms sales to Taiwan are announced.

"The Bush administration remains firmly committed to fulfilling the security and arms sales provisions of the Taiwan Relations Act," McCormack said in response to a question during his daily press briefing.

He said that when China complains, "we explain that US arms sales are consistent with our one-China policy, the three joint communiques [between the US and China] and the Taiwan Relations Act."

That act, he added, "requires the US to make available to Taiwan defense articles and services necessary for Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability, and we believe that the sale in question is consistent with our responsibility on that policy."

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the Pentagon organization in charge of foreign arms sales, announced the sale of 218 AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, 285 AGM-65G2 Maverick missiles, and other items to Taiwan in a sale that could amount to US$421 million, according to the DSCA.

The missiles would be used on Taiwan's fleet of F-16 fighter jets to help repel a possible Chinese military attack on Taiwan.

In response to the sale, Beijing's Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang (秦剛) on Friday voiced China's "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to the sale, and urged Washington to cancel it. He said that Beijing has "lodged a solemn protest" against the sale. He also linked the sale with US efforts to "encourage pro-independence forces" in Taiwan.

McCormack's statement was aimed to counter Qin's and China's position.

The AMRAAMs, or advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, are the latest air-to-air missiles, and would be used against an air attack against Taiwan. They began operations earlier this century, fly four times the speed of sound, and have a range of more than 48km, their manufacturer, Raytheon, says.

The Mavericks are air-to-ground guided missiles, designed for close air support and interdiction. According to the manufacturer, they provide "a high probability of strike against a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, air defenses, ships, transportation equipment and fuel storage facilities."

During Operation Desert Storm, the 1990 attack on Iraq by former president George Bush, the Mavericks hit 85 percent of their targets. Each F-16 can carry as many as six of the missiles that can hit targets as far away as 24km.

The sale still must be approved by Congress and the final terms must be approved by Taiwan's government and the Legislative Yuan.
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