Bush Warns of China Arms Sales

By Bill Sammon and Bill Gertz
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published February 23, 2005

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President Bush yesterday expressed "deep concern" that the European Union is planning to lift its arms embargo against China, suggesting that Beijing might use new weaponry against Taiwan, a move that could pose a threat to U.S. forces and other countries in the region.

"There is deep concern in our country that a transfer of weapons would be a transfer of technology to China, which would change the balance of relations between China and Taiwan, and that's of concern," Mr. Bush said in a joint press conference in Brussels with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

It was the first time that the president publicly addressed Europe's desire to lift its arms embargo, which it imposed after Beijing's 1989 crackdown on unarmed pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square.

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