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PARIS: France dismissed Chinese warnings on Wednesday (May 13) about arms sales to self-governing Taiwan, saying it was implementing existing agreements and that Beijing should focus on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
China’s Foreign Ministry warned Paris of a contract for Taiwan, which plans to buy arms from Paris as part of an upgrade to a fleet of French-made warships purchased 30 years ago.
China says that Taiwan is part of “one China”, and that this principle must be accepted by any country with which it has diplomatic relations. Arms sales to Taiwan are always very sensitive and regularly provoke a strong reaction from Beijing.
The French Foreign Ministry responded by saying that it followed a “one China” policy as agreed with Beijing in 1994 and continued to urge both parties to continue the dialogue.
“In this context, France respects its contractual commitments to Taiwan and has not changed its position since 1994,” the ministry said in a statement. “In the face of the COVID-19 crisis, all our attention and efforts should be focused on fighting the pandemic.”
The timing of the dispute is uncomfortable for Paris, which has ordered millions of facial masks from China due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Last month, the French Foreign Ministry summoned the Chinese ambassador for messages and tweets from the embassy defending Beijing’s response to the pandemic and criticizing the West’s handling of the outbreak.
“COMBAT NEEDS”
Taiwan is primarily equipped with American-made weapons, but in 1991 France sold six Lafayette frigates to Taiwan, to the anger of China. France also sold 60 Mirage fighter jets to Taiwan in 1992.
Taiwan said last month that it was looking to buy equipment from France to upgrade the ships’ missile interference system.
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said China resolutely opposed any arms sales to Taiwan.
“We have already expressed our serious concern to France,” he said at a daily press conference. “We again urge the French side to abide by the China principle and withdraw the arms sale plan to Taiwan to avoid damaging Sino-French relations.”
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry quoted the navy as saying it was following related procurement regulations for the purchase of weapons to meet its “combat needs.” He declined to comment further.
Taiwan media reported that Taiwan was proposing to spend around NT $ 800 million (US $ 26.8 million) on the French firm DCI-DESCO’s DAGAIE missile interference system.
Taiwan says it needs to upgrade its armed forces to meet a growing threat from China, which has stepped up military exercises near the democratic island.
China describes Taiwan as its most sensitive and important territorial problem, and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan has shown no interest in being governed by autocratic China.
