U.S.: China cut exchanges over Taiwan sale

[unhappycamper]

U.S.: China cut exchanges over Taiwan sale
The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Oct 9, 2008 16:22:01 EDT

TOKYO — China has cut some military exchanges following Washington’s approval of a multibillion-dollar arms package for Taiwan, the commander of the U.S. forces in the Pacific said Thursday.

Adm. Timothy Keating said China canceled or postponed several military-to-military exchanges following the Bush administration’s approval of a $6.5 billion package of weapons for the island. They are intended to help the island defend itself should China ever make good on its vow to invade if Taiwan should formalize its de facto independence.

China’s chief diplomat in Washington has called the sale a “gross violation” of U.S. commitments to Beijing.

Keating, speaking to reporters in Tokyo, said the Chinese have canceled several exchanges, including a humanitarian disaster relief exchange and a visit by a senior Chinese defense official to Washington and Hawaii. He did not elaborate further on what was canceled.

He said he hopes full exchanges will be resumed “as soon as possible.”


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/10/ap_chinaexchange_100908/%2e