Posted on: Saturday, February 26, 2005

EDITORIAL
Arms sales bad — not only for China

President Bush is certainly right that a renewal of European arms sales to China will alter the balance of power across the Taiwan Strait to favor the Chinese.

But Bush and the Europeans need to see the bigger picture.

Regarding Bush's immediate concern — to thwart Beijing's desire to reunite Taiwan with the "motherland" — Taiwan is simply no match for China's rapidly growing economic and military power.

The Chinese can afford to purchase advanced weapons systems from the Europeans, and failing that, they will develop them on their own. The day is not far off when only the United States will be able to protect Taiwan.

But it must not come to that. Taiwan is justifiably prideful of its autonomy, while China is unalterably committed to reunification. Yet the interests of the two are in many ways convergent — in fact, their economies are merging.

Our interest is in keeping the strait peaceful until that convergence comes about. What's clear is that the sale of arms to either side — by the Europeans to China or by the United States to Taiwan — won't help that cause.

Indeed, the massive global arms market ensures that approximately 19 substantial conflicts are ongoing in the world, while many others are tinderboxes awaiting a spark.

And in that regard, both the United States and the Europeans are contributing to that instability and conflict. Both must agree to find more constructive ways to enrich themselves.