China attacks US 'Cold War' mentality over Taiwan arms sales

China has accused the United States of 'rude and unreasonable Cold War thinking' over its decision to sell £4 billion worth of arms to Taiwan.
The rhetoric in a series of venemous editorials in the government-controlled media was exceeded by thousands of anti-American comments on China's main internet portals, including a petition against the arms package that attracted more than 50,000 signatures in just a few hours.

Beijing has already announced the suspension of some key military-to-military contacts follow the announcement of the arms sales at thet weekend, but has also made the highly unusual threaten of economic sanctions against US companies supplying the arms, including the aircraft maker Boeing.
The vehement Chinese reaction followed warnings from the foreign minister, Yang Jiechi, the US risked "damaging broader relations" with China if it did not respect Beijing's sensitivities over Taiwan.

"When it comes down to it, the United States is still drawing lines based on ideology and coming up with a million ways to stymie China's development and progress," warned an editorial in the overseas edition of the People's Daily, the Communist Party's main mouthpiece.

"If the United States stubbornly persists in this Cold War thinking and ignores China's core interests and grave concerns, the United States will further damage the development of bilateral ties and the great task of world peace. In the end, it will reap what it has sown."

The Global Times urged the government to make the US manufacturers "pay a price for hurting China" while the China Daily said that China's response "no matter how vehement" is justified.

Ordinary people commenting on the internet appeared to rally to the cry, calling in sometimes bellicose, nationalistic language for boycotts of US companies like McDonalds and urging the government to get tough with the Obama administration.

Others suggested that China sell arms to Iran to see how the US would react to another nation interfering in its core security interests.

Aviation industry experts gathering in Singapore for Asia's biggest air show were waiting nervously for the details of any sanctions at a time when the civilian aircraft makers are already under pressure from the financial crisis..

Boeing China said it has yet to receive any notice of intentions, adding that China was a "very important" market for the company where it competes with Europe's Airbus. Sikorsky, which will supply Black Hawk helicopters as part of the deal, also said it was not aware the situation.

The US administration has said that it hopes the arms sales will not broader damage relations with China but made clear it would not change its stance on the issue.

"The United States is also obligated to ensure Taiwan's self-defence capability and the United States fully intends to meet every one of our obligations there and we will continue to do so into the future," said Wallace Gregson, the US assistant defence secretary.