ROC ENVOY URGES E.U. NOT TO LIFT ARMS BAN AGAINST CHINA
ROC Central News Agency
2005-11-10 01:16:00
London, Nov. 9 (CNA) Taiwan is gravely concerned about the possibility of the European Union lifting its ban on arms sales to China after Britain's six-month rotating E.U. presidency ends late this year, the ROC envoy in the United Kingdom said Wednesday.
Edgar Lin, Taiwan's top representative in Britain, made the remarks in an interview broadcast live in BBC Radio 4's "Today" program.
According to Lin, the E.U. plans to discuss the proposal to remove its 16-year-old arms ban against China after Britain's six-month turn at the helm of the E.U. expires at the end of this year.
Such a development is vexing, Lin said, adding that if the ban is lifted, not only Taiwan's security but also that of Japan, South Korea and the United States would be jeopardized.
Lin stressed that Taiwan is by no means part of China and is instead an independent sovereign state.
Noting that China has deployed 700 missiles targeting at Taiwan and has passed its so-called anti-secession law codifying the use of force against Taiwan, Lin said China's military threat to Taiwan is real and cannot be ignored.
In the face of China's intensive military buildup in recent years, Lin urged the E.U. not to lift its arms embargo against China lightly.
(By Jeniffer Huang and Sofia Wu)
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