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Taiwan envoy: China ties unaffected by arms sale

TAIPEI — Taiwan's top negotiator with China said Monday that ties with Beijing had not been affected by a recently announced US arms package for the island, adding that trade talks would go on as scheduled.

AFP | Published: 02/08/2010 11:42

Washington last month approved a 6.4-billion-dollar deal that includes Patriot missiles, Black Hawk helicopters and communications equipment for Taiwan's F-16 fleet.

The weapons sale has sparked concern that Beijing, which has already cut off military and security contacts with Washington in retaliation, could also punish Taipei by postponing negotiations on a wide-ranging trade pact.

However, Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of Taiwan's quasi-official Straits Exchange Foundation, played down Monday the possible negative impact the sale might have on the island's hard-won ties with Beijing.

"Since the arms deal was not new, I believe it won't threaten the coming negotiations," he told reporters. "At least for now, it has not caused any negative impact."

The arms package was decided under previous US president George W. Bush in October 2008, and the sale announced now underway marks the implementation of that decision, some observers have argued.

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