China angered as U.S. approves frigate sale to Taiwan

[Lodestar]

Source: Reuters

China expressed anger on Friday after the U.S. State Department said it had authorized the sale of two surplus U.S. Navy frigates to Taiwan for $190 million, subject to congressional approval, amid rising tension in the South China Sea.

China considers self-ruled Taiwan a wayward province, to be brought under its control by force if necessary. Defeated Nationalist forces fled to Taiwan in 1949 after the Chinese civil war.

U.S. arms sales to democratic Taiwan always attract strong opposition from Beijing, though they have not ended up causing lasting damage to ties between China and the United States or between China and Taiwan.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said China had lodged a protest with the United States.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-taiwan-arms-idUSKCN0WD0QL

[happyslug]

1. Does the US actually want to sell these frigates?

You have to remember it was the NATIONALISTS who first made the claims that Communist China is now developing (In 1946 before the Nationalists lost China to the present Government of mainline China). Taiwan AGREES with Red China that it is part of China AND the lands claimed by Red China are also part of China. Taiwan has some issues with Red China as to where the border is between them, but neither side is threatening each other with the use of force.

Now, the sale being objected to by Red China may be pro forma, i.e. Red China will protest any sale of any thing to what it regards as a renegade providence. US does the sale, Red China states its objections and then everyone goes to lunch together for no one is going to do anything to upset the commercial contacts between the three countries (Taiwan's main trading partner today is Red China).

On the other hand, what would Taiwan do if the US and Red China starts to actually FIGHT over those lands Red China is Claiming? That is a different question because that requires something more then words. Would Taiwan support Red China or the US? I do not expect Taiwan to do any actual active hostile action, but Taiwan may leave Red China or the US to use Taiwan as a supply base and deny the other the use of Taiwan as a supply base. Taiwan may permit one or the other to fly over Taiwan while denying such access to the other. These Frigates could be part of that game, spying on the fleet of one or the other powers knowing that power does NOT want to sink that ship for it would be Taiwanese not a ship of the other hostile power.

These are only Frigates, not the much more capable Destroyers the US has. Thus this sounds more and more like an official protest and nothing more but given the possibility that it can mean something more does the US really want to sell these Frigates to Taiwan? It can also be a sign the US will continue to protest the developments on these land masses that China says are islands but will NOT enter into any actual fight over them. i.e. the US will sail its ship near these islands saying the waters are international waters and the Red Chinese will protest saying those waters are Red Chinese waters, then go to lunch together and talk about something important.

[jpak]

2. Story has been withdrawn

Advisory: Story on U.S. frigate sale to Taiwan withdrawn

BEIJING/WASHINGTON

The story headlined "China angered as U.S. approves frigate sale to Taiwan" is withdrawn. It was issued in error from an old U.S. State Department press release. There will be no substitute story.