China is expected to “indefinitely” suspend discussions with the United States on cooperative WMD nonproliferation efforts in response to U.S. plans to sell Taiwan $6.5 billion in defensive weaponry, the Los Angeles Times reported today (see GSN, Oct. 6).
However, Beijing still plans to work with the Washington to address nuclear activities in Iran and North Korea, according to the Associated Press.
China has also canceled humanitarian talks, barred U.S. navy ships from its ports and cut off other diplomatic and military links with Washington over the armaments package, which would include 330 Patriot Advanced Capability 3 missile interceptors. The weapons are intended to defend Taiwan against a missile threat from China, which considers the island to be its territory, though they could not block the more than 1,000 Chinese missiles now targeting the island.
"The Chinese reaction is unfortunate and results in missed opportunities," Pentagon spokesman Maj. Stewart Upton said in a statement. "The bilateral events affected involve senior level visits and humanitarian assistance-disaster relief exchanges that were scheduled to occur between now and the end of November."
One expert noted that Beijing could easily renew ties with the United States when a new president takes office next year.
"They have to make their displeasure known," said Shelley Rigger, an East Asia professor at Davidson College in North Carolina. "It's pretty low risk at this point to have a dust-up" (Mark Magnier, Los Angeles Times, Oct. 7).