January 26, 2004

EU snubs Paris over arms for China

A French attempt to lift the European Union arms embargo against China was rejected by ministers yesterday amid concern over Beijing's human rights record and belligerent attitude to Taiwan.

President Jacques Chirac has led the drive to ease sanctions imposed after the Tiananmen Square massacre of students in 1989, hoping to benefit from China's economic growth and draw Asia's rising power into strategic "multipolar" alliance with the EU to counter American hegemony.

But EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels agreed by 14 to 1 that China's deployment of up to 650 missiles in a war of nerves against Taiwan made it a hazardous moment to lift the arms boycott.

The decision is a blow to Beijing, which has been seeking a strategic partnership with the EU to obtain high-technology weaponry.

The hard line from Brussels came as M Chirac welcomed President Hu Jintao of China for a four-day state visit, shutting out complaints from human rights groups in preparing one of the most lavish receptions France has ever offered a foreign leader.

In Paris, where the Eiffel Tower glowed Communist red last night, 2004 has been designated the Year of China. Museums, theatres and schools are hosting Chinese performers and exhibitions.

Let's hear it for "New Europe"...or maybe even all of the EU except France!
(Axis of Weasel members Germany and Belgium must be coming around.)
Apparently, no-one's buying Jacques's plan for a "multipolar EU to counter American hegemony," because it mainly means that France being given a carte blanche shall we say? to do as they wish unilaterally anywhere in the world.
Funny and ironic, isn't it?
(When the Dhimmicrats here complain about America acting "unilaterally," they almost always mean acting without France, so it's just too funny that Chirac's use of "multi-polar" would mean France first, everyone else: sit down and shut up!)