Analysis | Trump’s phone call, arms sales and the future of Sino-US ties
The US president-elect’s break with protocol has raised uncertainty over his China policy to a dangerous new level
A phone call between US president-elect Donald Trump and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has added more uncertainty about Trump’s China’s policy and sends a dangerous signal amid already confrontational bilateral ties between Beijing and Taiwan, and between Beijing and Washington.
US arms sales to Taiwan have long been a point of tension between Beijing and Washington during decades of power play.
A three-way relationship
Beijing and Washington established formal diplomatic relations in 1979, but the US Congress approved the Taiwan Relations Act the same year to allow arms sales to Taiwan.
The Reagan administration in 1982 promised Taiwan not to set a date to end arms sales, nor to hold consultations with Beijing prior to such sales. Arms sales to Taiwan remains an important strategy for the US to contain Beijing.
Beijing regards Taiwan as a renegade province of China and one of its core interests. It lists the arms sales as one of the major impediments to Sino-US diplomatic and military ties. Beijing refuses to renounce the use of force to reunify with Taiwan.
The US has shrugged off Beijing’s request to end arms sales to Taiwan and the island has urged the Washington to continue selling it defensive weapons.