US Approves $6 Billion Arms Sales to Taiwan; Beijing Responds Predictably

The green light came yesterday for a $6.5 billion arms package for Taiwan. The contents include 114 Patriot missiles, 60 Black Hawk helicopters, communications equipment for Taiwan’s F-16s, Harpoon missiles, and mine-hunting ships.

Good. More, please. Faster, please. I absolutely want Taiwan armed with the best equipment possible, because you can bet your sweet char sui buns that China's not giving up (a) the idea of grabbing the island, or (b) trying to push ahead with modernizing its military.

I've consistently criticized Obama's foreign policy, but I must give some credit here.

Oh, and Beijing responds predictably. Here's a hilarious word-bomb quoted by the NY Times:

The Chinese reaction was swift, and negative. China’s vice foreign minister, He Yafei, issued a diplomatic message to the State Department expressing his “indignation” over the pending sale, said Wang Baoding, the spokesman at the Chinese Embassy in Washington.

“We believe this move endangers China’s national security and harms China’s peaceful reunification efforts,” Mr. Wang said in an interview. “It will harm China-U.S. relations and bring about a serious and active impact on bilateral communication and cooperation.”

That's right! "Peaceful reunification"! Aided and abetted by 1000+ missiles on the Chinese coastline pointed at Taiwan! Pffffffffffft!

UPDATE: Read this: "Fine, Now Sell Taiwan the F-16s." Yes. Especially since we can't sell them these beauties.