U.S. arms sales helps ensure parity in cross-strait talks: ex-official
ROC Central News Agency
2010/05/29 18:38:50
San Francisco, May 28 (CNA) The U.S. sale of defensive arms to Taiwan are conducive to the development of cross-Taiwan Strait ties and will help Taiwan to negotiate with China on an equal footing because of Taiwan's better defense capabilities, a former U.S. official said Friday.
Brushing aside speculations that U.S. arms sales would escalate tensions across the Taiwan Strait, Tom Christensen, a former deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asia, said the United States will continue selling defensive weapons to Taiwan unless China gives the assurance that it will not use force against Taiwan.
The U.S. sale of arms to Taiwan are a show of support for the island, rather than an encouragement driving it to make trouble, Christensen said at a seminar sponsored by Stanford University's Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law.
The U.S. supports negotiations between Taiwan and China, which will be beneficial to the three-way relations, he said.
At the seminar, Eric McVadon, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, said he does not think that China has the military strength to seize Taiwan now.
China should not underestimate the U.S. resolve to help defend Taiwan, although the U.S. and China will not go to war because of Taiwan, he said.
Lin Chong-pin, a professor at Taiwan's Tamkang University and a military strategist, said there is little chance that China would use force against Taiwan, as Beijing is realizing that it is much easier to conquer Taiwan by winning hearts.
(By Leaf Jiang and Flor Wang) enditem /pc
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