China yesterday said that it had summoned a senior US envoy in protest at Washington’s announcement that it would sell two warships to Taiwan as part of a US$1.8 billion arms deal.
Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Zheng Zeguang (鄭澤光) made “solemn representations” with US charge d’affaires Kaye Lee on Wednesday regarding the sale, according to a statement on the ministry’s Web site.
“China staunchly opposes America’s sale of arms to Taiwan,” the ministry said, adding Beijing would impose sanctions against any companies involved in the sale.
“China urges the US ... to cancel plans to sell arms to Taiwan and stop US-Taiwan military contacts to avoid causing further damage to Sino-US relations and bilateral cooperation in important areas,” it said.
In the meeting, Zheng told Lee that the sale “severely goes against international law and the basic norms of international relations” and “severely harms China’s sovereignty and security interests,” the statement said.
Such protests had been expected and the transaction was not seen as likely to cause lasting damage to relations between Washington and Beijing.
The arms package includes two previously approved Navy frigates, US Marine Corps amphibious vehicles and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, according to the US’ Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
The only companies named in the package were Raytheon Missile Systems Co, a unit of Raytheon Co, and a joint venture with Lockheed Martin Corp.
Other contractors have yet to be selected, the agency said.
Additional reporting by Bloomberg
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