The United States has cleared a sale of advanced Patriot air defense missiles to Taiwan despite opposition from rival China. China's vice foreign minister, He Yafei, issued a diplomatic message to the State Department expressing his "indignation" over the pending sale, the strongest reaction ever seen, according to some analysts. And China postponed vice ministerial-level talks on arms control and strategic security. It also declares to punish U.S. companies involved in a $6.4 billon arms package for Taiwan.

The Taiwan issue has been very trivial in Sino-US relation. Between 1978 and 1990, US didn't sell so many high-tech weapons to Taiwan as it does today because the Soviet Union was a deterrent. But after that US expanded its sales to Taiwan with an aim to contain China.

The fragile balance of military power between the Mainland of China and Taiwan is at risk now and then and US tries hard to maintain it.
Global times carried out a poll on its web site asking people: "Do you think China's sanction could stop US from selling weapons to America?"

Beijing and Washington are at odds again after reports the US could soon announce another sale of military arms to Taiwan. Taiwan and China are governed separately and share a sometimes tense relationship.

China has criticized the US for selling arms to Taiwan in the past, and White House experts say China could break off recently-reestablished military contact with the US as a way of showing its displeasure if the latest sale goes ahead.

But the US says Taiwan is a self-ruled and democratic country that has a right to defend itself, and argues Washington has to duty to sell arms to Taipei under the Taiwan Relations Act.

As the Chinese New Year begins analysts are looking back at a rocky year in Sino-US strategic relations. Dr. Zhu Feng is Deputy Director of the Center for International & Strategic Studies at Peking University and a professor at the university’s School of International Studies. He writes and speaks extensively on regional security issues in East Asia, US national security strategy and China-US relations. Today he talks to Fergus Thompson about the prospects for relations between the two great powers, especially in relation to sensitive areas such as the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan, and territorial issues in the East and South China Seas. 

The decision by the Obama Administration to go ahead with a $6.4bn arms sale to Taiwan has certainly infuriated the Chinese government. Although the F-16 fighters - which Taiwan's military wanted - were dropped from the final package, it still includes advanced helicopters, air defense missiles, minesweepers and military communications equipment.

China has called the deal a "gross interference in its internal affairs" and has already suspended military exchanges between the two countries in retaliation. In addition there have been calls in government run mediafor sanctions against US companies involved in the deal.

For its part Washington says that China's increased defense spending means U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are necessary to maintain a military balance. The move is the culmination of a spike in Sino-US tensions since last year's meeting between Presidents Barack Obama and Hu Jintao.

The two clashed over the Copenhagen Climate Negotiations, and more recently over internet freedom, cyber attacks and how to deal with Iran.

Sino-Japanese Relations

David Moser meets guests to discuss President Obama's upcoming visit to China, and major talking points on Sino-US relations.

About our guests:

Xu Qinduo is a graduate of China's "cradle of diplomats," Beijing Foreign Affairs College, and has a strong interest in Chinese politics and international affairs.  He is co-host of the influential talk show Today on CRI (China Radio International), where he has interviewed a wide-ranging number of guests discussing Chinese politics, culture, and economics.

Jean-Marc Blanchard is an Associate Professor in the Department of International Relations at San Francisco State University, and is currently a Visiting Scholar at the  School of International Studies, Peking University.  He is co-editor of two books, China's Multidimensional Diplomacy after 9/11 (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield-Lexington Books, forthcoming, 2010), and Harmonious World and China's New Foreign Policy (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield-Lexington Books, 2008).  He is also a Board Member and Book Review Editor for the Journal of Chinese Political Science.

David Moser meets guests to discuss President Obama's upcoming visit to China, and major talking points on Sino-US relations.

About our guests:

Xu Qinduo is a graduate of China's "cradle of diplomats," Beijing Foreign Affairs College, and has a strong interest in Chinese politics and international affairs.  He is co-host of the influential talk show Today on CRI (China Radio International), where he has interviewed a wide-ranging number of guests discussing Chinese politics, culture, and economics.

Jean-Marc Blanchard is an Associate Professor in the Department of International Relations at San Francisco State University, and is currently a Visiting Scholar at the  School of International Studies, Peking University.  He is co-editor of two books, China's Multidimensional Diplomacy after 9/11 (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield-Lexington Books, forthcoming, 2010), and Harmonious World and China's New Foreign Policy (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield-Lexington Books, 2008).  He is also a Board Member and Book Review Editor for the Journal of Chinese Political Science.