EU presidency reconsidering China arms embargo

[Lankan Ranger]

EU presidency reconsidering China arms embargo

The consistent US arms sales to the ROC and the EU's perpetual "consideration" to lift the arms embargo to China have almost become ritualized. At the end of the day, despite all the diplomatic protest by the PRC, the US will sell most of the non-head line items to the ROC (here). And as a gesture to the PRC, the US will leave the big ticket items out, such as F-16s. The EU will continue to uphold the arms embargo and continue to cooperate with the PRC on "civilian" technology (here).

However, these rituals keep the PRC's PR department employed, keep pundits busy filling their columns, and allow for the 24 hour news channels to appear relevant.


EUobserver / EU presidency reconsidering China arms embargo
EU presidency reconsidering China arms embargo

ANDREW WILLIS

Today @ 09:25 CET

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The Spanish EU presidency has indicated it is willing to reconsider the bloc's arms embargo with China, implemented over 20 years ago following the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown on Chinese pro-democracy protesters.

Following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Tuesday (26 January), Spanish foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said his country was "weighing the pros and cons" of lifting the ban.

"We are all aware of the new role which China is assuming in the world," he added.

China considers an end to the ban to be long overdue. "The embargo is outdated, it does not go along with the partnership between China and the EU," Wang Xining, spokesman for the Chinese mission to the EU, told EUobserver.

"Its a political principle on the definition of the relationship," he added, indicating that China was not necessarily going to place a large military order should the embargo be lifted.

France has been a vocal supporter of ending the ban, a line Moratinos said Spain would now follow, but other member states have traditionally indicated China's human rights record did not merit an end to the EU restriction.

Last October saw the EU lift an arms embargo against Uzbekistan however, despite continuing concerns about human rights in the central Asian nation, suggesting a reluctance to allow full Chinese access to EU military capabilities is also a factor.

European diplomats also queried whether the Spanish decision to visit the perennial issue would win the backing of all 27 member states this time round, with any decision requiring unanimity for a change of position.

The United States, which also maintains an arms embargo on China, is a further complicating factor, with the country likely to be reticent towards a unilateral European move.

The European Parliament has shown its support for the ban, voting in 2008 to maintain it as long as Beijing supports armed forces and groups involved in African conflicts in general.

News that Spain would revisit the thorny issue first hit the headlines last week following a China Daily interview with Spain's ambassador in Beijing.

The issue has subsequently attracted considerable media attention in the Asian powerhouse.




EU Presidency Mulls Lifting China Arms Embargo
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Published: 26 Jan 2010 12:57

EU Presidency Mulls Lifting China Arms Embargo - Defense News

BRUSSELS - The European Union's Spanish presidency is considering whether to lift the bloc's arms embargo on China, Spain's Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said Jan. 26.

Spain is "weighing the pros and cons" of the embargo, which Europe introduced after the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown on Chinese pro-democracy protesters, Moratinos told a press conference.
Related Topics


The European Union has long agreed to reconsider the decision to ban the sale of arms to China, Moratinos said.

France has been one of the main supporters of lifting the ban and "Spain is following that line," he added.

"We are all aware of the new role which China is assuming in the world," and the desirability "to improve relations with China to ensure the best possible dialogue," said Moratinos, whose country holds the EU presidency for the first half of the year.

The time is right to "consider whether the consequences allow" for the embargo to be lifted, he underlined.

In 2008, the European parliament voted to retain the arms embargo as long as Beijing helps armed forces and groups involved in African conflicts in general.

Moratinos was reacting to reporters' questions on comments made by Spain's ambassador in Beijing.

"We hope to deepen discussions on lifting the ban" during Spain's six-month EU presidency, ambassador Carlos Blasco Villa tod the official English-language China Daily.

There is, nonetheless, a reticence to lift the embargo unless done in tandem with the United States, due to security implications, a diplomat added.

China Defense Blog: EU presidency reconsidering China arms embargo

 

[SinoIndusFriendship]

Truth is, the EU is bankrupt and desperate. Spain is already seriously considering going it alone and sell directly to China. With Spain's 17.5% unemployment (actually much, much higher than that) and the fact that increasingly over time Europe's technology is becoming irrelevant, now rather than later is the time to sell. Not to mention this is good diplomacy and nurtures good will. Think about it in reverse: Say China instead discriminated against EU and slapped whole bunch of nonsense on EU, how would ordinary Europeans feel? Not so good. When you've been victimized by these same colonialists in the past, and now they treat you like this, you won't like it one bit.

Good thing is Asians are extremely forgiving people. Now Europe has the opportunity to redress their past sins (and save their economy and arses in the process). It's a win-win for everyone, but its not an urgent matter for China.

Peace out.

 

[stax]

I don't think this is a good news. US and EU's sanction made China research advanced weapons ourself. If US and EU can pour their weapons into China, it will damage China's military industry since the government has no pressure......(没紧迫感了...)

 

[azfar]

^
correct but dont worry you will just learn some thing.

 

[blain2]

I don't think this is a good news. US and EU's sanction made China research advanced weapons ourself. If US and EU can pour their weapons into China, it will damage China's military industry since the government has no pressure......(没紧迫感了...)

But now China is in a situation where they only need input on the very high technology equipment and even when they get it, the Chinese industry would want to learn and then develop it themselves.

There is a huge potential for and benefit to China from the EU restrictions being lifted off. That Chinese defence industry has already done so well with the sanctions, once these are lifted, next generation capability (5th gen. aircraft) etc. would become a possibility much earlier than if China has to go it alone.

For Pakistan, one thing I would say is that if the EU-China defence cooperation picked up, Pakistan for sure would stop bothering with integrating Western hardware such as avionics and combat systems in aircraft and ships altogether. The Chinese technology with inputs from European companies would be as good as any others out there.

Think about the possibilities such as ToT on propulsion technology from the likes of Rolls Royce or Snecma for Chinese aviation industry....the possibilities are great...for the Europeans and Chinese alike.

 

[azfar]

and you will be in good position to bargain with uncle putin.

 

[gpit]

What? EU's going to forget stuff happened 20+ years ago?

Don't see lots of our friends, from India and somewhere else, here still worry, profoundly, things happened 40+ and 50+ years ago?

Humm… wondering why they forget that tyranny who burnt books and buried many scholars alive… eh,... about 3000 years ago.

 

[azfar]

dont cry uncle sam days are counted and you will see more news like that periodically.

 

[Luftwaffe]

If china gets those stuff with TOT that'll be better besides American has kept EU long from selling anything to China and it has hurt EU economically i think EU is coming to senses...

One thing to note China has provided US with a large sum of money from getting bankrupt while on the other hand US is selling to Taiwan..I think China must threaten US to give back what it gave to US to save their arses form getting bankrupt.

 

[conworldus]

The things is Europe doesn't really have that much to sell to China at this point... The only thing we need are some key technologies, and it is probably cheaper just to hire their key scientists and engineers instead of buying.

 

[taiji]

Better not. Who cares.

 

[graphican]

Better not. Who cares.

What you are saying is also felt by EU as they know China has cached up 70-80% of European Tech already and if China would develop further, it will not be in need of any European tech. So in around 10 years time or so, possibility of selling EU tech to China will perish. The business that could be made now would not be there any time later.

I think world should learn by now that embargoes only make a country independent and self-sufficient. Now China is where EU and USA never wanted it to reach and worst part is that they don't have any say over its defense capabilities. EU/USA might had been in better control over Chinese defense supplies if they had been working with. So keep this aspect in mind that even if EU is willing to sell its tech to China, they would be seeking some sort of increased control over Chinese defense industry BUT as long as tech is being transferred to china, which is more likely case, China should be happy to let EU help to the degree they can and China helping them back financially to the degree it can. Its Win-Win for all but USA/India would be at the loosing end.

 

[ek_indian]

What you are saying is also felt by EU as they know China has cached up 70-80% of European Tech already and if China would develop further, it will not be in need of any European tech. So in around 10 years time or so, possibility of selling EU tech to China will perish. The business that could be made now would not be there any time later.

I think world should learn by now that embargoes only make a country independent and self-sufficient. Now China is where EU and USA never wanted it to reach and worst part is that they don't have any say over its defense capabilities. EU/USA might had been in better control over Chinese defense supplies if they had been working with. So keep this aspect in mind that even if EU is willing to sell its tech to China, they would be seeking some sort of increased control over Chinese defense industry BUT as long as tech is being transferred to china, which is more likely case, China should be happy to let EU help to the degree they can and China helping them back financially to the degree it can. Its Win-Win for all but USA/India would be at the loosing end.

Since you are too obsessed with India, you tend to put it in every thing. Believe me, India is still steps away to become global power where it can be related to every region.

India's biggest trade partner: China
India's biggest military partner: Russia

 

[albwd]

How long can € last?
Even we are the ones asking for it (lift of embargo), we hope they don't, thus give us a moral ground to team with others to sink the euro. I bet the current state of EU is in nobody's interest.

 

[graphican]

Since you are too obsessed with India, you tend to put it in every thing. Believe me, India is still steps away to become global power where it can be related to every region.

India's biggest trade partner: China
India's biggest military partner: Russia

I understand you had to write these two lines here. I undetstand how you possibily could feel with this development. And out of 800 words, you only sighted "USA/India" to comment back . Relax you will get you are bound to get.