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March 21, 2005
Why the China arms ban is important
Britain should maintain its ban on selling arms to China.
Surprising as it may seem, this is one issue that the American administration really do understand better than European governments!
“The European Union should do nothing to contribute to a circumstance in which Chinese military modernisation draws on European Union technology. It is the United States, not Europe, that has defended the Pacific.’ Condoleezza Rice.
The arms ban was established in response to the 1989 Tiananmen massacre, which Beijing have never repudiated. Last week Beijing passed a law allowing for the use of force against Taiwan, if the latter declares independence. A war in the Taiwan Straits would be a calamity. It is important that Europe does nothing to make a sensitive situation worse.
www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,7369,1442419,00.html?gusrc=rss
UPDATE 24 March 2005
More than 500 Chinese human rights activists have written to the European Union asking for the arms embargo to remain. They want China to release prisoners of conscience and agree to an independent commission to look at the events of 1989 (i.e. the Tiananmen massacre).
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4378017.stm
UPDATE 25 March 2005
The Foreign Affairs Committee at Westminster is supporting a continuation of the arms ban: “The raising of the EU arms embargo on China would send the wrong signal at this time, in the absence of strong undertakings from the Chinese government to address human rights issues.”
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4381421.stm
Posted by Simon Holledge at March 21, 2005 02:54 PM
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Comments
I'm with you on this one Simon. Britain and the EU cannot hope to influence American policy with regard to Guantanamo etc, nor have the moral high ground internationally, if we practise a foreign policy that is more hypocritical than ethical.
Posted by: Amy at April 2, 2005 01:15 AM
Fortunately it seems Britain and the EU are going to back down on this. I hope so . . .
Posted by: Simon Holledge at April 2, 2005 10:54 AM