Taiwan

State Responsibility - Countermeasures

The Obama administration announced the sale of $6 billion worth of Patriot anti-missile systems, helicopters, mine-sweeping ships and communications equipment to Taiwan. There was no explanation on the necessity for the arms sale in light of the improving ties across the strait, and Gen. James L. Jones, the US national security adviser, said only that the announcement should not “come as a surprise" to China and that the Obama administration was “bent on a new relationship with China that goes beyond arms sales to Taiwan.” By the same logic, China might also be able to justify its long-standing behaviour such as obstruction of UN sanctions against Iran and North Korea and lax protection of IP rights by saying such behaviour should not comes as a surprise to the US and the US-China relationship should move beyond those small issues. Demonstrating no sensitivity to, or even memory of, their historical actions towards China, some "Western governments and analysts" were reportedly alarmed by China's "strident tone". In fact, US government officials made clear that the arms sale was meant to send a message to China that the US "will act in our own national security interests".

Chinese vice foreign minister He Yafei declared that the US decision "constitutes a gross intervention into China’s internal affairs, seriously endangers China’s national security and harms China’s peaceful reunification efforts.” The Foreign Ministry announced cancellation some military exchange programmes and threatened sanctions US arms firms.