China and US Arms Sales to Taiwan

China's Attitude Toward US Arms Sales to Taiwan
US-PRC JOINT COMMUNIQUE, 17 AUGUST 1982

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.

TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT, 1979

It is the policy of the United States-- (1) to preserve and promote extensive, close, and friendly commercial, cultural, and other relations between the people of the United States and the people on Taiwan, as well as the people on the China mainland and all other peoples of the Western Pacific area;

(2) to declare that peace and stability in the area are in the political, security, and economic interests of the United States, and are matters of international concern;

(3) to make clear that the United States decision to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China rests upon the expectation that the future of Taiwan will be determined by peaceful means;

(4) to consider any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means, including by boycotts or embargoes, a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific area and of grave concern to the United States;

(5) to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character; and

(6) to maintain the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or economic system, of the people on Taiwan.

The basis for one of the most important disagreements between the United States and the People's Republic of China--the US sale of conventional arms to Taiwan-- lies in the interpretation and implementation of the US-PRC Joint Communiqué of 17 August 1982 and the US Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) of 1979.

China has criticized US arms sales to Taiwan as a violation of the 1982 communiqué. According to paragraph 6 of the communiqué text, "the United States Government states that it will 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 gradually to reduce its sale of arms to Taiwan, leading, over a period of time, to a final resolution."

The US response is that its Taiwan policy is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, that it is committed to a "one China" policy, and that its arms sales to Taiwan are consistent with the 1982 communiqué because of their "defensive" nature and they are responses to PRC military efforts that threaten Taiwan. It is implied that the PRC is violating paragraph 7 of the communiqué which requires both governments "to make every effort to adopt measures and create conditions conducive to the thorough settlement of this issue." The United States points out that China's 1992 purchase of 48 longer-range (4,000 km) Russian SU-27 fighter aircraft, superior to all aircraft in Taiwan's inventory, and China's firing of M-9 (range: 600 km) missiles at waters off of Taiwan in March 1996, were not measures designed to "create conditions conducive to the thorough settlement of this issue."

The US response to the delivery (summer 1992) of SU-27s was to agree to sell (fall 1992) 150 F-16 A/B combat aircraft (defensive models) to Taiwan. The sale was rationalized as a response to the new PRC threat and as a domestic political effort in which President George Bush could gain votes in his home state of Texas by keeping numerous workers employed. The PRC's immediate response was to withdraw from the P-5 talks on arms control in the Middle East (ACME).

The second action by the PRC which prompted a US reaction was the firing of six M-9 missiles to within 85 miles of Taiwan as part of a military exercise in July 1995 (after Taiwan's President Lee Teng-hui had been approved for an unofficial visit to the United States), and the firing of four M-9 missiles to within 20 miles of Taiwan in March 1996, just before Taiwan held its first open democratic presidential election. Many in the US Congress believed these missile exercises showed China's willingness to use force to resolve the Taiwan question. In July 1997, Congress proposed the "Taiwan Missile Defense Act" which would provide Taiwan with a form of theater missile defense (TMD). It was designed as a "direct and appropriate response to the threat posed by increased use of ballistic missiles by the People's Republic of China. Deployment of such a system would deter or at least counter similar attempts at intimidation in the future and would thereby reduce the potential need for United States intervention." China expressed opposition to the development and deployment of such missile defenses.

The disagreement over American arms sales to Taiwan is more political than military. The 1982 Communiqué is a US executive branch agreement--not a treaty--and thus does not have the force of law in the United States. The Taiwan Relations Act does, however, have the force of law in US domestic politics. The PRC believes US arms sales are a form of meddling in China's internal affairs and a challenge to its sovereignty. It also believes international law has precedence over any country's domestic law.

The US political position is that the Taiwan issue should be settled peacefully without the use of force. Since the PRC is unwilling to renounce the use of force in the recovery of Taiwan, many in the US Congress believe arms sales to Taiwan is justified.

US arms sales to Taiwan have a direct effect on China's willingness to cooperate more generally with the United States on arms control and nonproliferation issues, particularly issues regarding controversial Chinese missile- and nuclear-related exports to developing countries. The United States has rejected any linkage between nonproliferation issues and its arms sales to Taiwan.

On the issue of arms sales to Taiwan in general, China stated in a white paper entitled "The Taiwan Question and Reunification of China":

"(4) Arms sales to Taiwan by countries having diplomatic relations with China"

"The Chinese Government has always firmly opposed any country selling any type of arms or transferring production technology of the same to Taiwan. All countries maintaining diplomatic relations with China should abide by the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, and refrain from providing arms to Taiwan in any form or under any pretext. Failure to do so would be a breach of the norms of international relations and an interference in China's internal affairs."

"All countries, and especially big powers shouldering major responsibilities for world peace, are obligated to strictly abide by the guidelines laid down by the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council to restrict the proliferation of conventional weapons so as to contribute to maintaining and promoting regional peace and security. However, at a time when relations across the Taiwan Straits are easing up, certain powers have seen fit to renege on their undertakings under international agreements and to flout the Chinese Government's repeated strong representations by making arms sales to Taiwan, thereby whipping up tension between the two sides of the Straits. This not only constitutes a serious threat to China's security and an obstacle to China's peaceful reunification, but also undermines peace and stability in Asia and the world at large. It stands to reason that the Chinese people should voice strong resentment against this conduct."

"In international affairs the Chinese Government always pursues an independent foreign policy of peace and adheres to the Five Principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit and peaceful CO-existence. It actively seeks to develop friendly relations with all countries of the world and will never undermine any country's interests nor interfere in its internal affairs. By the same token it expects all other governments to refrain from undermining China's interests or interfering in China's internal affairs and to correctly handle their relations with Taiwan."

Key statements/documents on China's attitude toward US arms sales to Taiwan:

For more on US arms sales to Taiwan, see:

[US ARMS SALES TO TAIWAN-RELATED STATEMENTS AND DEVELOPMENTS]

For other Chinese arms control and nonproliferation issues related to US arms sales to Taiwan, see:

[CHINA'S MISSILE EXPORTS]

[CHINA'S NUCLEAR EXPORTS]

[CHINA AND THE ARMS CONTROL IN THE MIDDLE EAST (ACME) P-5 TALKS]

[CHINA'S ATTITUDE TOWARD MISSILE DEFENSE]

[AN ANNOTATED CHRONOLOGY OF THEATER MISSILE DEFENSE IN NORTHEAST ASIA, 1990-PRESENT]

This material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2007 by MIIS.