Taiwan and Tibet: Obama Continues Trend to Ire China

Keeping the fire burning over the controversial twin issues of Taiwan and Tibet, US President Barack Obama has signalled that although numerous ‘changes’ could be expected of him and his administration, the basic divergences with China remain.

The Obama administration’s plans to seal a staggering $6.4 billion arms sales package for Taiwan and that of a scheduled meeting between President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama in Washington have further aggravated what has always been a constant irritant in Sino-US relations. Actually, both these top the list in a series of such incidents off late, which include the controversy over the value of China's currency, trade protectionism and the freedom over usage of the Internet.

Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, PJ Crowley termed the US-China relationship as “arguably the most important and could be the most complex bilateral relationship in the world today.” Crowley defended the arms deal to Taiwan and stated that the US has “long-standing commitments to provide for Taiwan's defensive needs.”

US Defense Secretary, Robert Gates also backed the arms sale that reportedly includes 60 Black Hawk helicopters, 114 Patriot missile systems, 12 advanced Harpoon missiles and two Osprey mine-hunting ships. Gates hoped that Beijing’s decision of restraining bilateral military contacts shall be short-lived and urged, “Stability is enhanced by contact between our military and a greater understanding of each other's strategies… I hope we can get back to strengthening this relationship.”

Expectedly, the announcement of the sale of these systems has Beijing red in the face with China decrying the move and the Chinese foreign ministry simultaneously issuing a warning that it would impose unspecified sanctions against US firms involved in the deal, which include Boeing (including its Raytheon unit), United Technologies and Lockheed Martin.

While justifying China’s angst and terming the arms sales as “gross interference in China’s internal affairs”, the official China Daily newspaper claimed that the move by the Obama administration shall inevitably cast a long shadow on the future course of Sino-US relations. “China’s response, no matter how vehement, is justified… No country worthy of respect can sit idle while its national security is endangered and core interests damaged,” it stated.

This arms sales package is the latest since the time when President George W. Bush notified the US Congress of his approval for selling defensive weapon systems worth $6.9 billion to Taiwan in the waning days of his Presidency in October 2008. Taiwan’s constant dependence on US weapons sales to keep pace with China's massive arms build-up so as to maintain a balance of military power is well known given that Taiwan quotes that more than 1,400 short- and mid-range missiles are aimed at the island.

Asserting that the PLA was prepared for a “resolute struggle” over Taiwan, the PLA mouthpiece, Liberation Army Daily, stated, “China has no room whatever for compromise on this issue."

China has vehemently opposed every single US arms sales package to Taiwan as it claims that the island is its territory and has even threatened to invade it, should the self-governing island ever formalise its de facto independence. Keeping in line with this sentiment, China earlier adopted an Anti-Secession Law in 2005 that legalised “non-peaceful means […] to protect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity” in the event that “possibilities for a peaceful reunification should be completely exhausted”. The law holds clear implications for any move by Taiwan to declare independence.

Significantly, Article 8 of the law states “In the event that the 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces should act under any name or by any means to cause the fact of Taiwan's secession from China, or that major incidents entailing Taiwan's secession from China should occur, or that possibilities for a peaceful reunification should be completely exhausted, the state shall employ non-peaceful means and other necessary measures to protect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Further, the Obama administration has also infuriated Beijing over the recent confirmation provided by the White House regarding a meeting between President Obama and exiled Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama. White House spokesman Bill Burton confirmed this by stating, “The President told China's leaders during his trip last year that he would meet with the Dalai Lama and he intends to do so.”

Thus making amply clear that even though Washington wants to collaborate with Beijing over a range of issues such as climate change, global economic recovery from the meltdown and regional security, it shall zealously pursue the leverage that the twin issues of Taiwan and Tibet provide it with.

In what could be interpreted as upholding a fair bit of leeway while dealing with the Obama administration, the silver lining to this cloud is the conspicuous low profile maintained by top Chinese leadership including President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao on this issue. Nevertheless, the latest arms deal shall prove to be a glitch that could well cause turbulence in the Asian-Pacific security set up.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the views either of the Editorial Committee or the Centre for Land Warfare Studies).