DATE=4/18/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA-US WEAPONS-TAIWAN (L)
NUMBER=2-261460
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:


INTRO:  China is urging the United States to stop all 
arms sales to Taiwan, following a U-S decision Monday 
to supply the island with missiles and other 
equipment, but not advanced destroyers.  VOA 
correspondent Roger Wilkison reports from Beijing, 
China says all such U-S weapons sales strengthen pro-
independence forces on the island, cause tension 
across the Taiwan Strait and undermine Sino-U-S 
relations.


TEXT:  The Chinese response to news of the latest U-S 
arms sales to Taiwan was low-key.  Beijing had warned 
that the sale of four sophisticated destroyers 
equipped with the Aegis battle system would be 
considered a hostile act.  But Washington decided to 
defer the sale of such high-tech weapons and is 
providing Taiwan with air-to-air and anti-ship 
missiles instead.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi -- 
speaking Tuesday through an interpreter -- says 
Washington should stop all arms sales to the island 
China considers a wayward province.

            /////INTERPRETER ACTUALITY/////

The Chinese government and people have always been 
opposed to any sophisticated arms sale to Taiwan by 
the United States and have launched solemn 
representations to the U-S side on many occasions.

            /////END ACTUALITY/////

Mr. Sun says Washington should live up to commitments 
it has made to China to gradually reduce and 
eventually halt all weapons sales to Taiwan.  But 
under U-S law, Washington is obligated to provide 
Taiwan with defensive weapons.

Mr. Sun says U-S arms sales to Taiwan only create 
tension in the region by strengthening those elements 
who seek formal independence for the island.

            /////INTERPRETER ACTUALITY/////

The arms sale will give rise to the splittist force in 
Taiwan and undermine cross-strait relations.  So we 
hope that the U-S side will abide by its commitment so 
as to insure the sound development of China-U-S 
relations and lead to the improvement of cross-strait 
relations.

            /////END ACTUALITY/////

Western diplomats in Beijing say China is probably 
relieved that Washington decided to defer the Aegis 
sale.  That system features an advanced radar that can 
track more than one hundred targets simultaneously.  
China fears that Aegis would undercut the tactical 
advantage provided by Beijing's growing arsenal of 
missiles.  (SIGNED) 

NEB/RW/FC 



18-Apr-2000 06:26 AM EDT (18-Apr-2000 1026 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.