Sinomania!

Now that the Obama administration will fulfill W's promise of high-tech weaponry to Taiwan it is important to review just where the USA and China stand on the issue.

The Taiwan Relations Act does imply if not compel the USA to supply arms to Taiwan for its defense. As Taipei and Beijing rapidly detangle 60+ years of separation with historic cooperation it can be argued just what is Taiwan defending itself against? But the 1982 Sino-American communique says the USA will end arms sales to Taiwan. Specifically,

6. Having in mind the foregoing statements of both sides, the United States
Government states that it does not seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms
sales to Taiwan, that its arms sales to Taiwan will not exceed, either in
qualitative or in quantitative terms, the level of those supplied in recent
years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States
and China, and that it intends to reduce gradually its sales of arms to Taiwan,
leading over a period of time to a final resolution. In so stating, the United
States acknowledges China's consistent position regarding the thorough
settlement of this issue.

7. In order to bring about, over a period of
time, a final settlement of the question of United States arms sales to Taiwan,
which is an issue rooted in history, the two governments will make every effort
to adopt measures and create conditions conducive to the thorough settlement of
this issue.

The foregoing was agreed to by both sides NEARLY 30 YEARS AGO. The only people benefitting from the latest arms deal are three corporations, perennial Pentagon suppliers Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, and United Technologies. It is time for the USA to stop fanning flames and work toward peace by ending arms sales to Taiwan.