• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

ANTI-SECESSION LAW AFFECTS E.U. LIFTING OF CHINA ARMS BAN: MAC

ROC Central News Agency

2005-04-08 21:34:00

    Taipei, April 8 (CNA) China's enactment of a law authorizing the use of non-peaceful means against Taiwan has derailed progress in the European Union's plan to lift its arms embargo against China, Taiwan's top mainland policy planner said Friday.

    Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Joseph Wu was responding to a German media report that quoted senior German officials as saying that the E.U. is unlikely to lift its 16-year-old ban on arms sales to China this year.

    According to the report, lifting the arms embargo against China requires the unanimous consent of all 25 E.U. member states. Except for Germany and France, all other E.U. members are skeptical about the aptness of ending the arms ban now.

    Because of strong opposition from the United States, the report said, Great Britain, a U.S. ally who will be the E.U.'s presiding country for the second half of 2005, is not expected to handle the arms ban issue. Against this backdrop, the report said, the E.U. will be unable to lift its arms ban against China until 2006.

    Asked about his view on the report, Wu said Taiwan, the United States and Japan have all voiced explicit opposition to the E.U.'s plan to end its arms ban against China.

    Noting that many E.U. defense technologies have been provided by the United States, Wu said the E.U. cannot ignore the possibility of Washington retaliating against its move.

    In addition, Wu said he is convinced that China's enactment of its Anti-Secession Law against Taiwan has also discouraged the E.U. from lifting its arms ban because the legislation is widely believed to have had an adverse impact on Asia-Pacific peace and stability.

    Commenting on the German media report, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Michel Lu said the ministry would welcome any E.U. decision to maintain its arms ban against China.

    Should the report is correct, Lu said, it indicates that the E.U. has paid heed to the grave impact of China's new legislation on Asia-Pacific peace and stability.

(By Sofia Wu)

enditem/mw