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August 30, 2008 3:29:21 AM CDT

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China Furious Over US/Taiwan Nuke Mixup

Posted Mar 26, 08 12:34 PM CDT in US,  World 

(Newser) – Beijing unloaded on Washington today, enraged by reports that the US had accidentally sent nuclear missile parts to Taiwan. China demanded a full US investigation, and said the mistake had “disastrous consequences.” China told the US to halt all arms shipments to Taiwan to “avoid endangering the peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the improvement in Sino-US relations.”

Beijing has never been happy about US arms sales to Taiwan, which have continued unabated since the region declared itself independent from China. Though Taiwan once launched a nuclear research program, it has since abandoned such ambitions, and had no use for the warhead triggers the US accidentally sent in 2006. But the issue is still touchy in China, which considers Taiwan a renegade province.

Source Washington Post

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The Taiwan-made Tien Kung II, surface to air missile, is displayed during the first day of the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2007, in Taipei, Taiwan.   (AP Photo/Wally Santana)
A U.S.-made Patriot missile is launched during the annual Han Kuang No. 22 exercises in Ilan County, 80 kilometers (49 miles) west of Taipei, Taiwan in this July 20, 2006 file photo.   (AP Photo/FILE)
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China  • accident  • Defense Department  • nuclear program  • Taiwan  • missile


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