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| April 25, 2001 U.S.-China: Taiwan Arms Latest Source Of Bilateral Tension |
The Bush administration's decision to sell Taiwan much of the modern weaponry it wanted in order to present a credible military deterrent to Beijing was seen by the world's press as further straining an already tense bilateral relationship. Official Chinese media and pro-PRC papers in Hong Kong blasted the "inflammatory decision." The announcement followed a litany of Chinese editorial criticism of Washington for refusing to foreswear continued electronic surveillance flights, for granting a visa to former Taiwan President Lee, for labeling Beijing as a human rights violator and for pursuing its missile defense plans. Taiwanese papers generally applauded this "milestone for U.S.-Taiwan relations , " although they took issue with the destroyers' price tag and the omission of the Aegis radar component. Most European writers thought that Washington had provided Taipei with sufficient defensive materiel, but some were concerned about how Chinese leaders would respond to this evidence of America's commitment to Taiwan's defense.
ASIA: The tone of official Chinese media, stridently nationalistic prior to the arms sales announcement, was vitriolic thereafter. Beijing's China Daily fumed that "the Bush administration's commitment to the one-China policy" had been placed in doubt and that the sales ignored "the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques." A commercially-oriented Hong Kong paper worried that China would embark on a nationalistic course at a time when "all obstacles that hinder China's economic development should be handled as low profile, or should be put aside." Taipei's pro-independence papers welcomed the move. One Taiwanese writer asserted that, by providing arms, the U.S. would "further ensure the collective security of its allies across the Pacific." Elsewhere in Asia, editorialists warned that tensions over Taiwan could threaten regional security and economic stability. Singapore's pro-government Straits Times reminded the U.S. of China's enormous geo-strategic importance and advised the administration not to let "the tail [Taiwan] wag the dog." South Korean observers lamented that the U.S.-China spats have put North/South Korean reconciliation efforts "into a lull."
EUROPE: Editorials noted approvingly that the administration had moved to enhance Taiwan's defenses while withholding the Aegis radar system, a manuever which Hamburg's Financial Times Deutschland likened to "stepping on the brake just in time" to avoid a "political declaration of war vis-à-vis China." All observers saw the arms sales as a clear policy signal that, according to London's independent Financial Times, left the "depth of the U.S. defense commitment to Taiwan less in doubt than perhaps at any time since the U.S. opened diplomatic relations with the People's Republic." Most assumed that the Chinese response would be rational and measured, but Paris's right-of-center Le Figaro drew attention to "China's new irate anti-Americanism" and a commentaor on a government-run French radio network noted that China's newfound "power to intimidate" would only become greater in the 21st century.
EDITOR: Stephen Thibeault
EDITOR'S NOTE: This survey is based on 63 reports from 33 countries, April 17-25. Editorial excerpts are grouped by region; editorials from each country are listed from the most recent date.
CHINA: "Arms Sales To Taiwan Violate Agreements"
A commentary in the official English-language China Daily stated (4/25): "The latest decision by the U.S. to sell arms to Taiwan is a serious violation of bilateral agreements.... The U.S. inflammatory decision, following the mid-air collision between a U.S. spy plane and a Chinese jet fighter on April 1, should put the Bush administration's commitment to the one-China policy in doubt.... Ignoring the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques...the United States has driven a wedge into already frayed bilateral relations and would further whip up tension across the Taiwan Straits. U.S. military support...has instigated pro-independence forces in Taiwan and sown seeds of trouble in the Asia-Pacific region. Selling more advanced weapons to the island is tantamount to restoring the military alliance between Taiwan and the United States.... We can smell the McCarthy style of the provocative stance the Bush administration and some hawkish U.S. politicians have taken in the past weeks.
"Foreign Weapons Cannot Salvage The Forces Of Taiwan independence"
Xinhua commented in the Xinhua Daily Telegraph (4/25): "Taiwan leaders' claim that America's sales of defensive arms to Taiwan is the only way to guarantee the security of Taiwan is really absurd.... They think that as long as Taiwan ties itself to the United States, they will be able to rely on the United States to confront China and resist reunification. In addition, they can also drag the United Statesinto the hot water, thereby gaining profits.... The People's Liberation Army has warned these Taiwanese leaders that the PLA will never allow even an inch of land to separate it from Chinese territory."
"Excuses Can Not Shirk Responsibilities"
Liu Wenzong wrote in Guangming Daily ( Guangming Ribao 4/24): "The United States Government can not expect to shirk responsibilities for the plane collision because firstly, China's exclusive economic zone is definitely not some sort of 'international airspace'. Secondly, the excuse of seeking an emergency landing will not suffice. Thirdly, illegal actions can not expect to obtain diplomatic exemptions."
"China Opposes Lee's Visit To U.S."
This Xinhua official news agency piece appeared in official English-language China Daily (4/23): "The so-called 'visit by private persons' is nothing but a camouflage.... The U.S. government's decision to allow Lee to visit the United States can only boost the arrogance of the 'Taiwan independence' forces to split China."
"Travel Warning 'Irresponsible,' Says Spokeswoman"
Shao Zongwei commented in official English-language China Daily, (4/21): "Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue say that the U.S. State Department...knows full well that a few Americans are being handled according to Chinese law because they have broken the law.... Zhang (Qiyue) criticizes the United States for its unwarranted criticism of the Chinese judicial organ's lawful handling of the relevant cases, for fabricating so-called risks and for attempting to incite Chinese Americans, as well as other people, against China."
"NMD Brings Only Tension"
The official English-language China Daily, editorialized (4/21): "President Bush has repeatedly declared that the deployment of the NMD system is motivated by the perceived necessity to counter strategic ballistic missiles from so-called 'rogue nations.'... However, the countries being referred to by the United States are simply not in a position to pose any military threat in the foreseeable future, at least not to what is the most powerful country in the world.... NMD is, in fact, directed at China and Russia."
"What Do Ten Consecutive Victories At UN Human Rights Commission Mean?"
Lu Dasheng and Li Jingchen commented in official Beijing municipal Beijing Daily ( Beijing Ribao, 4/22): "By repeatedly sponsoring anti-China bills at the UN Human Rights Commission, the United States intends to interfere in China's internal affairs through the human rights issue so that it can split and westernize China, and force China into obedience."
"How Much Further Will U.S. Go Into The Dead-End Of Confrontation?"
Guo Yongyi commented in the official Communist Party People's Daily ( Renmin Ribao, 4/20): "America's tenth failure at the UN Human Rights Commission is not at all surprising. Since 1990, the United States has always waved its human rights stick and has wantonly attacked the developing countries.... How much further will the United States go into this dead-end of confrontation? We advise that the United States had better change tack as early as possible and move toward international cooperation and dialogue, and do something beneficial for the development of the mankind."
"The U.S. Reverses Attitude And Refuses To Acknowledge Mistakes"
Ren Yujun and Ding Gang wrote in Global Times (4/17): "Hardly had the U.S. crew returned to the United States when President Bush claimed in a tough-rhetoric statement that the U.S. crew was not at fault for the Sino-U.S. plane collision. In addition to making this irrational counter-attack against China, the U.S. military has even threatened to resume surveillance flights against China with U-2 planes.... Besides the world's condemnation of the arbitrary U.S. acts, even some U.S. media have criticized the U.S. government, saying that resumption of surveillance flights is 'reckless' and will become a new source of conflict in the air."
HONG KONG: "Limited sales"
The independent South China Morning Post editorialized (4/25): "Washington did make one thing abundantly clear. It denied several weapons on Taiwan's wish list--including Aegis, satellite-guided bombs and anti-radar missiles--to encourage restraint by the mainland. If China freezes or even reduces its ballistic missile forces opposite Taiwan, the United States will limit its arms supplies to the island. As American officials say repeatedly, restraint will bring restraint. The next big question is how Beijing, after reflection, will interpret this. Chinese leaders, perhaps pushed by the military, may conclude that sovereignty has been violated grossly and respond harshly. Or they could decide it is possible to live with the U.S. decision and keep to peaceful means as they try to lure Taiwan into the national fold. Others in Asia, concerned about regional prosperity, must hope they choose the latter course."
"U.S. Uses Taiwan To Create Trouble"
The independent Hong Kong Economic Times stated (4/25): "If Beijing cannot keep cool while it faces diplomatic challenges by the United States, and tries to expand its own armaments, the tense situation in the Taiwan Strait will be heightened. This will be bad for China's economic development, as well as for cross-strait reunification.... The chief task for China is not
expanding its weaponry, but seeking a stable environment to develop its economy at home and abroad.... Therefore, all obstacles that hinder China's economic development should be handled as low profile, or should be put aside."
"Rejecting Reunification By Arms Sales Will Only Hurt Taiwan"
The pro-PRC Hong Kong Commercial Daily commented (4/25): "U.S. arms sales to Taiwan serves the strategic interests of the United States, and not the interests of the people of Taiwan. The United States is making use of these arms sales to deal with China. The Taiwan authorities are buying large numbers of arms at varying costs, turning Taiwan into a tinderbox that will explode at any time. Of course, this is not good news to the people of Taiwan. It will bring about great danger. The Taiwan people should pay attention to the danger. Taiwan independence powers want to realize Taiwan's independence by force. This is a dream that will never come true."
"Mutual Trust Between China And U.S. Is Falling Through"
The independent Ming Pao Daily News asserted (4/25): "According to reports by the U.S. media, President George W. Bush has decided to sell some advanced armaments to Taiwan. Although the most advanced Arleigh Burke-class destroyer was not included on the list, the other armaments are enough to advance the level of Taiwan's navy by 20 years, making it 10 years more advanced than China's. Through these actions, the United States will not only accelerate the cross-strait arms race, but will also force China to reevaluate Sino-U.S. relations. It appears that Sino-U.S. relations will face a severe winter."
"Time For Restraint"
The independent South China Morning Post observed (4/24): "The conflicting guidelines [of the Taiwan Strait relationships] bring recurring problems. During their friendliest years, Washington, Beijing and Taipei managed to apply them with great ambiguity and restraint. This time, however, some clearer lines are being drawn and grave disputes seem all too possible. Yet there is a way out. U.S. President George W. Bush can decide that weapons such as new destroyers with Aegis radars do exceed Taiwan's realistic defense needs, given the threat it faces.... Some Taiwanese leaders and their American friends would not like a withholding of the destroyers. But real security lies in Taipei maintaining strong links with the United States, not in whether or not it receives four specific warships in 10 years' time. The task for Mr. Bush is to persuade it that now is another time for restraint. But Beijing also needs to display caution. It could stop adding to the missile force that frightens many Taiwanese into wanting more modern weapons. It could recognize (as it has done previously) that, like it or not, some U.S. arms sales are inevitable. And it could acknowledge these sales can serve as political restraints on Taipei, making it feel safe without making it feel strong enough to declare unilateral independence."
"U.S. And Japan Use Taiwan To Pressure China"
The independent Hong Kong Economic Times commented in its editorial (4/23): "Japan and the United States both issued a visitor's visa to former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui last Friday. The Japanese government is allowing Lee Teng-hui to embark on a medical trip to Japan. The United States correspondingly issued a visa for Lee Teng-hui, allowing him to visit his U.S. alma mater, Cornell University. The decisions of the United States and Japan will definitely sharpen the conflict between China and the United States caused by the plane collision. Adding the Taiwan factor, the situation will now be even more complicated. Diplomatically, China will have no rest. One thing to watch is whether or not China's long-term economic reform will be affected in the long run if the PRC experiences conflict with the United States and Japan. China's ability to raise capital is different from 20 years ago. Japan's pressure on
repayment of loans will have little impact on China. However, if the United States and Japan
join together to put pressure on the Taiwan issue, China will be attacked in both front and rear. It will be difficult for China to handle it."
"Lee's Right To Travel"
The independent iMail wrote in its editorial (4/19): "Mr. Lee's visit to the United States is insignificant.... The only potential controversy is that Cornell will use the occasion of Mr. Lee's visit to announce the establishment of the Lee Teng-hui Institute for scientific research. Beijing may object to the university's decision to name the institute after Taiwan's former president, but that is incidental. A Taiwanese fund that Mr. Lee supports has donated to the institute. If the institute keeps within the realms of academe and stays out of politics, there can be no justification for complaint."
TAIWAN: "Arms Sales Decision Marks A New Milestone For U.S.-Taiwan Relations"
Su Yung-yao stated in pro-independence Liberty Times (4/25): "Though Taiwan failed to get the Aegis-equipped destroyers and Patriot 3 missiles, the United States' thoughtful deferring sale [of the Aegis systems] can help strengthen military cooperation and exchanges between the United States and Taiwan in the future. A more balanced cross-Strait situation will help restrain Beijing's threats against Taiwan. This year's arms sales talks seem to have announced the United States' future blueprint for the Asia-Pacific region."
"Pity For United States; Regret At R.O.C. Loss"
The pro-independence, English-language Taiwan News noted (4/25): "The United States announced its decision on the arms sales at a delicate moment, following the China-U.S. midair collision and the Chinese detention of the U.S. crew members, and later, the demand by China that the United States cease reconnaissance flights over China's territorial waters. China and the international community are therefore left with the impression that the U.S. rejection of Taiwan's request for the Aegis-level destroyers was a factor in its negotiations to bring the hostages home as soon as possible. The United States not only lost a bargaining chip to China in its handling of this issue, but also gave China an opportunity to demonstrate to the rest of the world that it can make America yield.... These are all consequences of the United States' decision against the sale of the Aegis-level destroyers to Taiwan. While we regret Taiwan's loss, we are even more sorry for America."
"Washington Tries To Use Arms Sales To Influence Taiwan's Military Buildup"
Lu Chao-lung wrote in centrist/pro-status quo China Times (4/25): "The Navy is the biggest winner of this year's U.S.-Taiwan arms sales talks because it has acquired three dimensional anti-submarine fighting capabilities. Washington, on the other hand, has tried to influence Taiwan's military buildup through arms sales. The attempt to carry out the joint combat capabilities by putting more emphasis on the Navy and Air Force is a positive development and influence [for Taiwan]."
"U.S.-China Standoff, Round Two"
The pro-independence, English-language Taipei Times opined (4/19): "Taiwan provided the United States with voice communication records between the pilots of the two F-8 Chinese fighters involved in the EP-3 incident. This information allowed the U.S. government to assert with confidence that its plane did nothing wrong. Taiwan assists the United States in intelligence-gathering in the western Pacific and thus plays an important role in regional security. By helping Taiwan strengthen its defense capabilities, the United States will be further ensuring the collective security of its allies across the Pacific. Japan, South Korea and
Southeast Asian nations will benefit from a strong and self-confident Taiwan.... The EP-3
incident has shown once again that the China threat is right before our noses. The United States has no reason and no need to read a competitor's mood before deciding to help an ally."
JAPAN: "Collision Over Honor And Pride?"
Liberal Asahi's senior writer Funabashi observed in his weekly "Japan & the World" column (4/19): "Even though the United States and China are deepening economic ties, they will find it difficult to create a lasting and stable peace without understanding each other's perspective and views on world peace and order. Both sides must promote dialogue and build mutual confidence. A settlement of the Hainan incident is not likely as long as the United States and China each stick to their honor and pride and do not make a compromise."
"The 'China Threat'"
Liberal Asahi's Washington correspondent Sugimoto observed (4/18): "More and more Americans appear to have become keenly aware that China not only lacks respect for human rights but also turns a blind eye or a deaf ear to internationally-observed military standards.... Although a 'China threat' is not yet growing in the United States, such a threat is likely to emerge, depending on how the talks in Beijing develop. Since the return of the EP-3 crew...President Bush and other U.S. government and Congressional officials have become more vocal about their criticism of China as a nation that does not comply with international norms."
"China Puts Pressure On Japan"
Conservative Sankei's Beijing correspondent Ito opined (4/18): "Beijing is intensifying pressure on the government of Japan not to issue an entry visa for former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui, who reportedly wants to visit Japan for a medical checkup. While calling for Japan-China friendship, the Chinese government openly shows its distrust of and vigilance against Japan. Beijing has been not only interfering in the internal affairs of Japan but also has become confrontational with the Bush administration over Taiwan.... Beijing is alarmed by what it describes as the U.S. administration's moves to further strengthen the U.S.-Japan security alliance and to have the United States and Japan cooperate in the defense of Taiwan. The Chinese are trying desperately to prevent the former president of Taiwan from visiting Japan, a move they consider to be the first step to strengthen the U.S.-Japan-Taiwan alliance."
AUSTRALIA: "U.S.-China: Soft Line Called For"
An editorial in the national capital's Canberra Times (4/20) read: "The United States is within its rights just in demanding that China return to it the spying and surveillance aircraft.... But...now that it has had the aircraft's crew returned so that human lives are not in pawn in the mutual chest-thumpings going on, the United States would probably be wise to seek to lower rather than raise the temperature, using trade and other cards, instead of tough talk.... The very source of the U.S. high surveillance involves signals to China about U.S. willingness to defend Taiwan. With such powder kegs about, people should be cautious with matches."
"A Foretaste Of Tensions To Come"
Alan Dupont of the Australian National University's Strategic and Defense Studies Center wrote also in the Australian (4/17): "The successful negotiation of face-saving compromise over the U.S. aircrew indicates that neither Beijing or Washington is willing to risk a direct military confrontation from which neither can gain. But new lines will be drawn in the sand.... Regionally, Asian anxiety about the destabilizing consequences of U.S. disengagement from the region...is likely to be replaced by concerns about a return to great power tensions between
China and the United States as the strategic focus of the Bush Administration shifts decisively from Europe to Asia.... Nonetheless it would be a mistake to think that a new Cold War is in prospect."
INDONESIA: "Sino-U.S. Plane Talks"
Leading independent English-language Jakarta Post observed (4/23): "Needless to say, strained ties between the world's only superpower and one of Asia's giants will have a negative impact not only on people in this part of the world but also on the international community.... Given that both China and the United States can reap the benefits of mutually friendly and good ties...there is an urgency for the two countries to resolve their problems without further damaging long-term relations and goals."
PHILIPPINES: "Incident Waiting To Happen"
University of the Philippines professor Walden Bello commented in independent Business World (4/23): "The recent U.S.-China spy plane incident was an event waiting to happen, and here the fault lies largely with the United States. The more intense surveillance of the Chinese coasts by planes or the U.S. Seventh Fleet follows a tectonic shift in the U.S. policy toward China from one of being a Cold War ally against the Soviet Union to one of strategic rivalry.... It speaks volumes about the U.S. security establishment's grim determination to follow what it sees as America's permanent 'strategic imperative'--which is to prevent the emergence of any force in the vast Asian landmass that might threaten the global and regional hegemony of the United States. It is this sort of mentality that creates the atmosphere of high tension that invests a simple aerial collision with ominous significance."
SINGAPORE: "Don't Let Tail Wag Dog"
The pro-government Straits Times' editorial urged (4/19): "Whatever decision President Bush makes [on Taiwan arms sales] should be consistent with America's long-held view that there is only one China, that Taiwan is a part of that China, and that reunification should occur peacefully. U.S. action regarding Taiwan should neither encourage pro-independence sentiments on the island, nor render a negotiated settlement of its future status more difficult to achieve. It is possible that if Mr. Bush bears these considerations in mind, he will sell Taiwan what it needs and seeks, except one--the Aegis destroyers.... Letting the tail wag the dog is no way for the United States to conduct its already frayed relations with China."
"Dangerous Turn In U.S.-China Relations"
The pro-government Business Times declared (4/17): "The release of the crew last week may have eased the tension, but the road ahead will be difficult.... That the Chinese eventually released the 24 U.S. crew members last week without escalating the confrontation was a triumph of diplomacy and good sense on both sides.... Sino-U.S. relations will always involve a balancing act: alternating between periods of cooperation and of tension and anxiety. For the rest of Asia, living with this uncertain state of affairs is something they will have to learn. Their own position must necessarily be dictated by their own interests."
SOUTH KOREA: "U.S. And Japanese Curbs On China Have Impact On Korea"
Moderate Hankook Ilbo editorialized (4/24): "We are compelled to take note that the Asia policies of the United States and Japan are increasingly tilting toward hard-line conservatism, as if the two countries were in tune with each other.... With China revealing its great potential as a superpower through rapid economic development over the past 20 years, the United States seems to feel that its hegemony is being threatened in the Pacific region. Meanwhile, Japan is getting anxious about its shrinking role in international affairs due to its 10-year-old
economic recession. The recent reconnaissance plane incident is a clear testament to intensifying U.S. pressure on China, and Japan appears to be laying right-wing foundations by silently sympathizing with the United States. We are concerned that the two countries' growing hard-line conservatism might further narrow our maneuvering room. With inter-Korean relations already falling into a lull after the failed U.S.-ROK summit, we are being driven into a situation in which we must study the two countries' reactions before seeking cooperation with China."
"A Lesson From U.S. Spy Plane Incident"
Editorial writer Kang Byong-tae opined in moderate Hankook Ilbo (4/19): "Some say that the [Hainan] incident was a win-win situation in which the two sides achieved a mutually accepted compromise.... There are also some people who praise an inexperienced President Bush for having exhibited a serious and resolute attitude throughout this incident. On the other hand, the Chinese leadership is being praised for acting wisely by opting for a compromise while seeking national pride.... However, more important than these evaluations is for the two countries to realize that they are limited to playing a game of rhetoric. Even within the United States, some voices can be heard saying that the two countries should listen carefully to the widespread call for dialogue and cooperation, rather than resorting to confrontation."
THAILAND: "ASEAN Needs To Speak Up On Talks"
The lead editorial of the independent, English language Nation commented (4/19): "ASEAN has to make it known it will not tolerate any future action that would compromise their position on the South China Sea. China's heavy-handed attitude towards the United States has already sent a chill down the spines of ASEAN leaders. When it comes to China's national interest and in this case, sovereignty, the Middle Kingdom would not care whether the dispute was with the United States or ASEAN. Therefore, ASEAN needs to increase consultation on this issue. Nations have to define where they stand. The outcome of the China-U.S. talks will affect ASEAN claimants one way or another. The grouping has been reluctant to form any common position against China, except briefly in March 1995 over the Mischief Reef incident. Now, with the United States involved, ASEAN needs to step forth, because it wants to keep the disputed territorial issue alive in international forums."
VIETNAM: "'Visa' Diplomacy Once Again"
La Mich Nhu remarked in Lao Dong, the newspaper of the Vietnam Confederation of Labor Unions, (4/24): "Two conclusions can be drawn from the issuing of Japanese and U.S. visas to Lee Tenghui. First, the Japanese government headed by Prime Minister Mori is to some extent sympathetic to the new U.S. administration's views on China. Secondly, that the United States issues its visa to Lee Tenghui may help lessen Taiwan's dissatisfaction in case the U.S. does not fully meet Taiwan's needs to procure modern weapons."
BRITAIN: "Strait Talking"
The independent Financial Times observed (4/25): "It weighs heavily in Beijing that the first important set-piece China policy decision of Mr. Bush's administration has been to offer Taipei enough military hardware to dilute--if not neutralize--the credibility of Beijing's threat to take the island by force.... The decision leaves the depth of the U.S. defense commitment to Taiwan less in doubt than perhaps at any time since the U.S. opened diplomatic relations with the People's Republic. Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S. is committed to providing weapons for Taiwan's defense--but its commitment to come to Taiwan's aid in the event of conflict with the mainland was left ambiguous."
"Carry On Spying"
The independent, weekly Economist presented this perspective (4/21): "The hard truth is that America spies on China because it needs to be spied on.... China has claimed sovereignty over all of the South China Sea, and the Spratly and Paracel Islands within it. Geography dictates that a large share of the world's trade passes through those waters and, though China has in the past two years shown greater willingness to discuss its claim, the issue remains unresolved. Every country that uses the international sea lanes has an interest in seeing these waters remain open and unthreatened. If America, the only country ready and able to act as guardian, is to perform the task, it needs the sort of information that can be gathered only by aerial surveillance.... Surveillance flights, however unwelcome, make an important point: that international airspace is just that.... One day, there may be no need for any spy flights at all. But the stakes are too high, and China's commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes too uncertain, for that day to be imminent."
"Taiwan's Arms"
The independent Financial Times observed (4/17): "As in past years, however, the United States should agree to sell Taiwan other defensive weapons systems. And it would help if more foreign powers were tough enough to adopt the same stance. The Chinese have threatened to penalize countries that supply weapons to Taipei by canceling commercial contracts on the mainland. But European countries, in particular, should stand firm. A united international front over Taiwan would lessen the degree to which the issue becomes a specific cause of antagonism between the United States and China."
FRANCE: "A Subtle Decision"
Jacques Isnard wrote in left-of-center Le Monde (4/25): "President Bush's decision includes the future delivery to Taiwan of a system to resist a Chinese naval blockade or embargo, which Pentagon experts envision as a plausible scenario. Considering that Taiwan is poorly equipped to deal with such a possibility, it is not surprising that President Bush promised to intervene in the delivery of torpedo-launching submarines.... When these are delivered to Taiwan, the nature of things will change: Taipei will have the means to discourage China from blocking the island. But this presupposes that Western nations will play along and resist pressure from Beijing, which is not what has happened in the recent past."
"Bush Wants To Boost Taiwan's Defense"
Jean-Jacques Mevel argued in right-of-center Le Figaro (4/25): "The U.S. 'regrets' to Beijing for the air incident came with a price set by President Bush. While the president's [Taiwan arms] decision is characterized as 'military' by the Pentagon, seen from a diplomatic angle, it is clearly an affront to Beijing. China can still save face by insisting that the Aegis system will not be delivered to Taiwan.... As for the U.S. president, he appears to have made a balanced domestic policy decision, pleasing the Pentagon's and Congress's hardliners while avoiding a showdown with the business sector, whose trade with China and Taiwan is a cornerstone."
"China's Power To Intimidate"
Bernard Guetta stated on government-run France Inter radio (4/24): "China has the power to intimidate, and namely to intimidate the United States. We will have to get used to this fact. It intimidates with its population, its millions of soldiers, its bomb.... Things that could turn China into this century's major power. The danger does not come from China's dying communism, but from its expanding nationalism. For the new Chinese Internet generation, the time has come for revenge, namely against Europe and the United States for two centuries of national humiliation. A humiliation, which spawned the triumph of communism."
"China's New Irate Anti-Americanism"
Francois Hauter wrote in right-of-center Le Figaro (4/23): "Beijing is starting to pay a high price for its...crisis with Washington. But its verbal and impotent harangue is symptomatic of its loss of control of a situation that is pushing China into regional isolation.... China is continuing to address the U.S. administration as if the latter were still sympathetic to its pleas...adding one provocation after another.... Through its aggressive verbal attacks, China has already brought Taiwan closer to Japan and created a poisonous climate with the United States."
GERMANY: "Pocket-Sized Strategists"
Center-left Sueddeutsche Zeitung of Munich judged (4/25): "Washington plans to ship submarines to Taiwan...which it is incapable of delivering itself, but which Germany and the Netherlands could provide.... Before the German government is made one of the players in this great strategic game in the Pacific, it should be asked first.... The fact that President Bush...is now putting undue pressure on his allies indicates a low degree of political sensitivity. It is without question that the German government cannot allow the shipment of submarines. So why is Washington publicly forcing Berlin into a corner?"
"Republican China Policy"
Business-oriented Financial Times Deutschland of Hamburg maintained (4/25): "Bush has made the right decision: Taiwan is receiving a substantial arms package without the Aegis destroyers.... It is no surprise that China does not like the arms deal, even in its modified form.... Even with the reduced arms package, Washington has moved to the brink of a political declaration of war vis-à-vis China. Though Bush, by not including the Aegis destroyers, has stepped on the brake just in time, he must now prove that he can defend his pragmatic approach against Republican hardliners."
"Not Surrounded By Enemies"
Peter Sturm noted in center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine (4/25): "Is it really in China's interest to let relations with the United States deteriorate? When the country's leaders reflect on the potential consequences, there can be only one answer: No. For example, nobody in China would profit in Beijing's accession to the WTO fell victim to a confrontation with Washington.... Nobody wants to see chaos in China. And nobody wants to force new 'unequal treaties' on China. But beneficial coexistence always needs at least two partners. It is not only a matter of other countries 'understanding' China. China must also understand its own environment."
"China's Stale Triumph"
Left-of-center Frankfurter Rundschau pointed out (4/20): "The government in Beijing is blowing the victory trumpet. For the tenth time, it has managed to prevent a vote on an anti-China resolution in the UN Human Rights Commission. The fact that the United States initiated the resolution is making the triumph even sweeter.... At a closer look, the triumph is not all that impressive: 23 votes--including China's--account for less than half of the 53 commission members; 17 states voted against the Chinese petition, and 12 abstained.... China's victory was made possible by the many abstentions. These are in part a reaction to U.S. arrogance, in part an expression of pragmatism. The EU, like others, opposes Chinese human rights abuses only halfheartedly for economic reasons."
"Consequences"
Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger noted in center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine (4/14): "President Bush is right to continue the reconnaissance flights. Any decision to comply with Chinese
demands and stop them would have serious consequences for the Far East's military stability, not least from the viewpoint of the regional powers. The incident and the way Beijing tried to exploit it at home and abroad suggest further conclusions for the future. One of them is that the relationship between China and the United States will evolve more and more into a rivalry between competing powers with the inherent danger that small events can trigger major crises."
ITALY: "Spy Plane, First Round Fails"
New York correspondent Maurizio Molinari reported in centrist, influential La Stampa (4/19): "A dialogue of the deaf has begun between Washington and Beijing. The first round of talks lasted three hours and ended with an impasse and several insults from a distance.... What made the Chinese furious was the American reconstruction of the incident, attributing responsibility to the acrobatic maneuvers of the Chinese pilot.... There was also no progress regarding the fate of the U.S. plane, still detained on the Hainan Island.... And, finally, there is also tension between the United States and China in the United Nations. There was a fight yesterday in Geneva over the vote to condemn the People's Republic of China for its human rights violations."
RUSSIA: "Biggest Arms Deal in Decade"
Aleksandr Timofeyev pointed out in reformist Vremya Novostei (4/25): "The seemingly cautious decision by Washington is in fact the biggest arms deal between the United States and Taiwan in a decade. Now what will Beijing do? Aside from lashing out at 'new hegemonists' in the United States, China will have to think hard of how to build up its military might. As the arms race between Beijing and Taipei is getting into a new spiral, Russia should expect new defense orders from its neighbor in the East. The worst part of it all... is that Beijing, despairing of winning the arms race with Taipei, may decide to strike out before Taiwan receives the formidable new weapons."
"Major Turn In U.S. Policy"
Sergei Sokut and Mikhail Khodarenok commented in centrist Nezavisimaya Gazeta (4/25): "Over the past few years, Washington has been very reluctant to sell modern arms to Taiwan, putting forward a lot of extra conditions for such supplies. Things have changed now; evidently the incident with the American EP-3 reconnaissance plane is a factor. The new arms supplies will substantially change the balance of naval forces between Beijing and Taipei in the latter's favor."
AUSTRIA: "Political Reality Test"
Foreign affairs editor Christoph Winder commented in liberal Der Standard (4/20): "The handling of the Hainan incident, between hotheaded political maintainenance of one's position and pragmatism, clearly showed that the Bush administration has not come up with a coordinated line in foreign policy. This is due to the quite different ideas the State Department and the Pentagon have in this area. But a certain political nervousness may also be the result of new threats the last superpower believes itself to be faced with. The most recent security policy obsession is a potential concerted attack from cyberspace. In combination with the fight against the rogue states, this is causing some kind of 'security stress' which U.S. policy feels exposed to these days."
BELGIUM: "Will U.S Teach China A Lesson?"
Financial De Financieel-Economische Tijd observed (4/18): "Now that their boys are back home sound and safe, the Americans feel inclined to bang the table again and to teach the
Chinese a lesson. The call for punishment is growing louder and louder in the U.S. Congress.
In the coming months, several opportunities for American action will be available: a decision by Bush regarding the sale of weapons to Taiwan at the end of April; the possible granting of a visa to Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian in May; the Congressional vote over the prolongation of China's status of normal trade partner in early June; lobbying at the International Olympic Committee to deny the 2008 Olympic Games to Beijing which will be decided early July; and, finally, the cancellation of Bush's planned visit to Shanghai and Beijing in October."
HUNGARY: "Skywater"
Oszkar Fuzes, former Washington correspondent of leading Hungarian Nepszabadsag, stated (4/18): "By the time China is able to become more or less equal in power with the United States, the States would like to have taught Beijing to be a peacefully cooperating contender. The big prospect starts today. The Taiwan Strait is located on one the world's most important trade routes, covering two-thirds of all shipments across the South China Sea. To have it open undisturbed is almost as important to America as the heavens high above. The dilemma weighs more heavily on China. Today's talks are being watched so closely and by so many because, while they deal on the surface with a spy plane, strategic maneuvering for position is what they are really about."
POLAND: "The Voice Of The Generals"
Maria Kruczkowska wrote in liberal Gazeta Wyborcza (4/19): "Since the very beginning of the [EP-3] plane crisis, Beijing has been speaking the language of the generals. Why did President Jiang Zemin, who cares so much for good relations with the United States, give in to the military to the extent that he took the American crew as defacto hostages?... Jiang in those days became an executor of the policy of the hard line faction of the apparatus. Nationalistic rhetoric prevailed over economic arguments."
SLOVENIA: "No Peace Between The Two Giants"
Left-of-center, independent Vecer's Beijing correspondent opined (4/20): "China is doing fine--in fact much better that the United States--without rejoining the WTO; therefore, it is in no hurry. Beijing is aware that the United States must do business with China if it does not (sic) wish to have a trade deficit.... [American diplomats] keep forgetting that the Chinese military functionaries decided at the last moment not to shoot down the aircraft. What would have happened had they shot it down? What will happen if they shoot down the next one? The issue will be reduced to 'dollar diplomacy': the United States will pay for the emergency landing of its aircraft, cover compensation for the dead Chinese pilot, and cover costs of the extremely expensive seven-day searching. It will also explain why it must continue to monitor this part of the Pacific. China is not a U.S. adversary; nevertheless, the United States needs it as an adversary.... Years-long incapability of the United States to make use of the historic opportunity, which arose after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, is the point rather than returning of the aircraft."
SPAIN: "Another Cold War?"
Barvcelona's conservative La Vanguardia remarked (4/21): "China and the United States have concluded their negotiations without agreement.... The chain of events now projects an image of increasingly tense relations between the United States, the only post-war superpower, and China, the emergent power of the post-Cold War.... The origin of this confrontation is not, however, the destruction of a Chinese fighter jet. To the contrary, this situation results from the mistrust between the two countries. Is this shaping up to be another Cold War? It all depends on China's evolution, and also on how China is treated by the United States."
SWEDEN: "Weapons To Taiwan--Another Test For President Bush"
Foreign editor Per Ahlin observed in Stockholm's independent Dagens Nyheter (4/20): "President George W. Bush has scored many points for his handling the last few week's confrontation with China...but the U.S. aircraft is still in Hainan and China will likely put Bush to new diplomatic tests in connection with the Taiwan arms sale decision.... It is in U.S. interest to maintain normal relations with China, although the country no longer is regarded a strategic partner but rather a strategic competitor.... The White House has declared that the aircraft incident will not influence President Bush's decision, which is the only reasonable official reaction.... But the freedom of Taiwan hangs in the balance, and seldom has it been more important for Washington to find a way to assist this young democracy without unnecessarily provoking Beijing."
INDIA: "Half-Truths Also Help"
The Bangalore-based, left-of-center English-language Deccan Herald stated (4/23): "President Bush...threatened that every day that went by increased the potential that China's relations with America would be damaged. This was a clear enough hint that if the detainees in Hainan were not freed soon, President Bush might deny China the help it needed from the United Stateson the issue of entry into the WTO and the selection of Beijing as the venue for the 2008 Olympic Games. There is, besides, a very easy way for the United States to create additional headaches for China by pumping more and more arms into Taiwan."
"Rights And Wrongs"
The Bangalore-based, left-of-center English-language Deccan Herald noted (4/21): "For the tenth time since 1990, a resolution censuring China for alleged human rights violations has been defeated in the United Nations Human Rights Commission. The resolution, sponsored this year by the United States, sought to criticize Beijing's treatment of Falun Gong supporters and of Tibetans, Buddhists and Christians.... The United States is still smarting from the diplomatic setback it suffered recently with regard to the mid-air collision of its spy plane with a Chinese aircraft. The bid to censure China at the UNHRC must be seen against this background."
PAKISTAN: "Post-Hainan Talks"
The Karachi-based independent, national Dawn noted (4/20): "With China emerging as the only major countervailing force to American power, it is inevitable that it constantly finds itself under pressure from Washington. America's goal is to curb the growth of Chinese power and influence. The Bush administration's strategy is to adopt a hard line so that China is held firmly in check in terms of its expanding role both regionally and internationally."
"After The Hainan Stand-Off"
Ayesha Siddiqa Agha decalred in Karachi-based, independent, national Dawn (4/18): "Fortunately, the U.S. spy plane incident was not of an extremely serious nature and, given the caution on both sides not to escalate the crisis, a way out of a potentially dangerous situation was found. In spite of initial American overreaction, restraint tempered with realism eventually came to prevail on both sides and set the pace for an end to the crisis. This serves as a pointer to the Bush administration to moderate its hawkish attitude toward China."
SYRIA: "Heated Climate Between Washington And Beijing"
Shawkat Abu Fakher opined in government-owned Al-Ba'th (4/25), "President Bush's approval of the sale of a long list of weapons to Taiwan, the most important in the past ten years...would further complicate American-Chinese relations, sustain the atmosphere of mistrust between the two sides, and become a new addition to a long list of disputes.... The issue of Taiwan is the most critical and sensitive issue between the two countries and any position taken by Washington will add more oil to the fire and increase tension in the whole region."
NIGERIA: "A Platform To Strengthen Relations"
Lagos-based, independent Punch advised (4/24): "Relations between the United States and China...appear to have been seriously jolted by recent events, [though] it is to the credit of the Bush administration that it has ensured that the damage is not irreversible. On the part of the Communist China, it may also be said that, throughout the diplomatic crisis so far, it has shown mature understanding by not putting its growing trade relations with the United States into unnecessary jeopardy."
CANADA: "Playing Chinese Chicken-Beijing Will Pay For Its Aerial Brinkmanship"
Matthew Fisher wrote in the right-of-center tabloid Toronto Sun (4/22): "Somewhere beyond China's eastern horizon, but presumably not beyond the roving eye of Chinese spy satellites, lurks the USS Kitty Hawk.... It is a given that the Taiwan military will get more help from the United States than it would have otherwise. China's trade with the world, especially with the United States, may also become more complicated. However, short of announcing a boycott of any Olympics in Beijing, which is sort of hardball most unlikely at this time, anything the United States tries to do or say about Beijing's candidacy for the 2008 will probably backfire."
"Chinese, Bush Played A Get-To-Know-You Game"
Columnist Don Desserud observed in the moderate Saint John Times Globe (4/18): "The Hainan stand-off dominated national headlines in the United States, with many calling for a show of force. Mr. Bush resisted the temptation. Instead, he engaged in a subtle and patient strategy of releasing a series of statements as the stand-off continued, each one incrementally more apologetic. His patience and caution will undoubtedly be respected by the Chinese leadership, which has had a tendency to dismiss U.S. presidents as 'cowboys.'"
BRAZIL: "The U.S. And China"
Retired diplomat Antonio Amaral De Sampaio commented in independent Jornal da Tarde (4/24): "Due to its very nature, the relationship between the United States, which tends to be the 'world's policeman', and China, which resents the treatment it receives from the West, has to be complicated and confrontational.... This occurs not only because their respective political systems are incompatible, but also because both are competing for world power--one involved in the global surveillance of its interests, the other in its own geopolitical area, but in a process of expansion... In the future, direct conflict may become unavoidable. But for now, Bush's moderation and civilian control in Beijing prevented the worst. What will happen next time?"
MEXICO: "Uncle Sam And The Dragon"
Isabel Turrent wrote in independent Reforma (4/22): "The U.S. government should learn important lessons from the diplomatic incident with Beijing and send Republican right-wing diplomacy to history's waste dump. The first lesson is that the United States cannot take unilateral decisions in areas that are strategic for other nations... The second lesson is that there are no small enemies, nor unconditional allies, and that it is also Washington's responsibility to build bridges to prevent the escalation of confrontations... The third lesson is that it is indispensable to construct a long-term foreign policy...that leaves ideologies behind and focuses on everyone's interests: that of the United States and the rest of the world."
CHILE: "A Good Portent"
Santiago's influential newspaper-of-record El Mercurio commented (4/21): "During this conflict...President Bush and his administration showed admirable discipline and clarity.... According to several analysts, his performance was better than Bill Clinton's after the accidental attack against the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade in 1999. Together with a transition outstanding for its efficiency and a positive start in domestic policy, it represents a good portent for the next four years."
PANAMA: "The Mission Of The U.S. EP-3 Flight"
Raymond Molina, member of Cuban Unity in Panama, wrote in conservative El Panama America (4/19): "The U.S. planes that monitor mainland China coasts over international waters have all the right to do so under international aviation conventions. Chinese military arrogance based on the belief that force dominates the world, made them commit an error. They demanded an apology from the Americans and were not given one. The Chinese had to return the American pilots and will have to return the plane. President Bush handled the situation excellently. He sent the Chinese a message: You return my soldiers or I will economically ground you."
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: "China Bloodies Bush's Nose"
The Trinidad Express observed (4/21): "Bush immediately went on the offensive, demanding that China release the plane and crew forthwith. It was typical American arrogance. But this time around the president forgot he was dealing with Beijing, not Baghdad.... It was he first time that the United States came up against the only other superpower in the world since the collapse of the Soviet Union. So it was intriguing to see how Bush would handle China asserting its territorial rights over U.S. intrusion in its air space, an imperialistic position that Washington has reserved for itself. And true to form, Bush botched it."
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