China leader warns Bush on Taiwan

[Fly Navy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3941647.stm

China leader warns Bush on Taiwan

President Hu made surprisingly candid remarks

Chinese president Hu Jintao has phoned President George W Bush to warn the US against selling more military technology to Taiwan.

Washington is negotiating a deal to sell missiles and other weapons systems worth $18bn to the island - which China regards as a renegade province.

Mr Hu said Beijing would do its utmost to resolve the Taiwan issue peacefully.

But he said China would never tolerate the island's independence, or allow anyone to split it from China.

Spokesmen in Washington and Beijing said Mr Bush reaffirmed his backing for the one-China policy - which does not support Taiwanese independence - while reasserting America's commitment to help Taiwan defend itself.

The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Beijing says that the fact that President Hu took up the Taiwan issue in a personal telephone call to Mr Bush shows just how strongly China feels about it.

On Friday China's vice-minister for Taiwan, Wang Zaixi, warned that Beijing might attack Taiwan by 2008 if its pro-independence President Chen Shui-bian pursued plans for constitutional change.

Tensions between Taiwan and China have been rising ever since Mr Chen was re-elected in March.

Now he wants to spend $18 billion to buy advanced missiles, aircraft and submarines from the US.

President Bush says he opposes Taiwan independence.

But from China's point of view, his willingness to sell the island such advanced weapons is sending a very different message, our correspondent says. "

 

[nittany03]

We can't keep playing both sides against the middle there forever. One of these days the butchers' bill is going to come due, and it's going to be an ugly one.

 

[Fly Navy]

We can't keep playing both sides against the middle there forever. One of these days the butchers' bill is going to come due, and it's going to be an ugly one.

Yup. I especially like our dual stance. The "One China", yet how we'd defend Taiwan.

 

[squeeze]

What we're doing is simply trying to bide our time. China is rapidly becoming a more progressive nation and adopting capitalistic principles everyday. As the older hardliners die off, the country is evolving. The moves towards open trade with them is key in that strategy.

The "dual stance" as you call it is essentially a method to avoid open conflict with a growing superpower while maintaining political ties with a more progressive and similar nation in the hopes that China will come around in the near future. China wants no part of a war with America. Nothing would destroy their hopes of becoming a superpower faster. It's evident in their dealings with NK and their constant posturing against Taiwan.

 

[Fly Navy]

What we're doing is simply trying to bide our time. China is rapidly becoming a more progressive nation and adopting capitalistic principles everyday. As the older hardliners die off, the country is evolving. The moves towards open trade with them is key in that strategy.

The "dual stance" as you call it is essentially a method to avoid open conflict with a growing superpower while maintaining political ties with a more progressive and similar nation in the hopes that China will come around in the near future. China wants no part of a war with America. Nothing would destroy their hopes of becoming a superpower faster. It's evident in their dealings with NK and their constant posturing against Taiwan.

The internet, as it becomes available to more and more people, in a less restricted fashion, will help crumble the Chinese. It's already having an effect on the younger generations and the businessmen there. Then of course, you have the segmented population, many of which are stuck in the 19th Century. Will be interesting to see what happens in the years to come.

 

[manny7_99]

Great Article...Mr Fly Navy, thanks for keeping us informed, lol. I've noticed you have a tendency to post excellent articles. Anyway, I back up your statements, as Chine becomes more "capitalistic", the old One China will sucumb. Let's pray for that, they've got one big Army! And we all know that the best war is the one that is never fought.

 

[American_Ace]

Busniess Week stated that both China and India are supposed to be emerging super powers, and Russia is supposed to make a come-back in our generation as well. Things could be interesting in a couple years.

 

[zilber]

The truth is that the Chinese think of the United States as a bump in the road... meaning, they have been around for a LONG time, and we are a young country, and eventually they will have to 'deal with us,' until then, they are just building/growing their superpower. I don't think that a lot of Americans realize that, but I am sure we will as soon as the media begins to over hyping this issue as they do any other issue.