Dharamsala, January 6 – China has asked the United States to “cancel and cease” arms sales to Taiwan,China’s state run new agency Xinhua reported yesterday.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Tuesday, “We urge the U.S. to clearly recognize the severe consequences of arms sales to Taiwan and adhere to the three Sino-US joint communiques, especially the principles established in the Joint Communique on Aug. 17, 1982.”
Jiang was responding to a question on China-U.S. relations in 2010 at a regular press briefing. As the Obama administration is reportedly expected to approve the sale of arms to Taiwan early this year and as President Barack Obama prepares to meet the exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama China said it firmly opposed arms sales to Taiwan by the U.S. and any contact with the Dalai Lama “in any form and in any name.”
Taiwan and Tibet-related issues were China’s core interests as they related to China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Jiang said.
“China and the U.S. share broad mutual interests on major issues relating to human peace and development. Both sides shall deal with bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective by respecting each other’s core interests and major concerns, strengthening dialogue and cooperation and properly handling disagreements,” Jiang said.
China accuses the exiled Tibetan leader and the 1989 Nobel peace laureate of trying to split Tibet from “motherland” – a charge the Dalai Lama has always denied saying he is seeking a genuine autonomy for Tibet as enshrined in the constitution of China.
Talks between Dharamsala and Beijing were shelved after eight rounds of contacts from 2001 to 2008 with China rejecting a memorandum submitted by the Tibetan side. Both sides have accused each other of being responsible for the deadlock. However, the exile Tibetan Prime Minister Samdhong Rinpoche has told Indian news agency ANI on January 2 that he was hopeful of resumption of contacts with China in the new year.
