US threats over EU lifting China arms ban: report

0 Comments | AFP, December, 2004

LONDON (AFP) — The US is ready to hold back military technology from European allies over EU steps to revoke its arms embargo on China.

The Financial Times daily quoted unnamed Pentagon officials who said the US would likely withdraw government backing for measures to improve military technology transfers to European countries if the European Union begins to sell arms to China.

At a Brussels summit on December 17, EU leaders declared their "political will" to lift an arms embargo on China, possibly by next June, while stressing that Beijing must respect human rights and regional stability.

"This has the potential to be a big brawl," an anonymous senior Pentagon official involved in Chinese policy told the FT.

"They're talking about helping the...