China Complains to France Over Sale of Warships to Taiwan
China on Saturday expressed “strong dissatisfaction” over France’s decision to sell 16 frigate hulls to Taiwan, the New China News Agency reported.
“This is a serious matter in Sino-French relations,” Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Tian Zengpei was quoted as telling French Ambassador Claude Martin after summoning him to the Foreign Ministry in Beijing.
France announced Friday its approval of the sale of the unarmed frigate hulls.
Beijing regards Taiwan, the Nationalist-ruled island off its southern coast, as a breakaway province and views such military sales as interference in its internal affairs.
Tian told Martin that China has repeatedly stated that it does not object to trade relations between other countries and Taiwan but is opposed to official relations, official contacts and arms sales, the news agency reported.
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