[NYTr] China Steps Up Pressure to Lift Arms Embargo

[nytr at olm.blythe-systems.com]

sent by Simon McGuinness  

[China now has the economic clout to split the EU/US stranglehold on arms
production; it looks like it is going to use it.  The USA can impose a
blockade on little Cuba - with some difficulty - but it has no possibility
of single-handedly imposing a blockade on China. The USA needs China more
than China needs the USA.  It is remarkable how similar the EU diplomatic
effort appears to be in relation to the blockade of Cuba and the arms
embargo of China, and how strongly it contrasts with the failure of US
diplomacy in both cases.-Simon]

EU Observer - December 3, 2004
http://euobserver.com/?aid=17918&rk=1

China steps up pressure to lift arms embargo

By Andrew Beatty

BRUSSELS--Pressure is mounting on the EU to end a 15-year old arms embargo
against China, with Beijing warning relations may be damaged if no action is
taken.

Ahead of an EU-China summit next week Chinese diplomats have warned that a
decision not to lift the embargo could have consequences for future ties.

Wang Shaoxin, a spokesman at the Chinese Mission to the EU said: "If the
arms embargo is not lifted ... this will not be beneficial to sound
development of future cooperation", he told EUobserver.

This issue of lifting the 15-year old ban on arms sales - put in place
following the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 – has been on the EU’s
agenda for months, with no agreement so far.

Some member states - in particularly the UK and the Netherlands - remain
cautious about lifting the ban.

But this renewed pressure could make it more difficult for individual states
to openly oppose lifting the ban for fear of being singled out.

Quid pro quo And Beijing is offering carrots as well as sticks.

To try and entice the sceptics China has hinted it may be ready to ratify a
UN covenant on civil and political freedoms, a long time EU demand.

"We are making great efforts to speed up this process", said Mr Shaoxin, "as
a responsible country we are putting positive efforts in this field".

Commission officials say privately that this could help the discussion in
Brussels, coupled with an agreement to strengthen the EU’s general code of
conduct for arms exports.

The road to Beijing goes via Washington But stiff opposition to lifting the
ban is also coming from Washington, which is concerned about China’s rising
power and its acquisition of hi-tech military equipment, which could be used
against Taiwan.

Washington's stance is now major factor in the debate and shapes the UK and
Dutch positions.

Some commentators warn that without transatlantic dialogue on the issue,
EU-US relations could be further soured.

However the Chinese government dismisses claims that it wants the ban lifted
in order to obtain new military technologies
- contrary to Washington's fears.

"We do not need and have no capacity to increase arms imports from the EU",
said Mr Shaoxin, also scotching ideas that opening the arms market may help
Brussels address its massive trading deficit with Beijing in the short term.

China instead says it wants to lift the ban as a way of breaking with its
past image says Mr Shaoxin, "It is more politically symbolic", he said.

EU leaders are expected to return to the matter in December.