European arms tease

During her recent visit to Beijing, French Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie declared: “The EU arms embargo on China can no longer be justified and should be lifted.”

While French temptations are well known, the EU must still reckon with opposition from the US, which argues European arms to China will upset the Asian military balance.

If New Delhi has any views on European arms sales to China, it has kept them to itself. Until now India has indirectly benefited from the Western arms embargo. Under US pressure, Israel too had to downsize its military cooperation with Beijing.

Russia, which supplies arms to China, has given slightly more sophisticated weapons to India. But this happy situation is unlikely to last long. The attractions of the Chinese arms bazaar are too tempting.

Iran sanctions

The difference between the foreign policy of a ruling communist party and the non-ruling ones is pretty simple: the former is responsible for what it considers state interests. Communists in opposition have the luxury of taking rhetorical positions.

Defending Iran has become a new political cause for the Indian Left, as it applies pressure on the UPA Government to follow an “anti-imperialist” foreign policy; but Communist China has had no problem supporting a new round of international sanctions against Tehran.

Despite its many political differences with Washington, Beijing does not want to pick a fight on Iran with the United States. For China sees itself as a responsible power and cannot encourage

Iran’s nuclear defiance.

After his vote last Saturday in the unanimous UNSC resolution 1747, which builds on the first set of sanctions imposed last December, the Chinese permanent representative to the UN outlined Beijing’s position.

“China respects and recognises Iran’s right to peaceful use of nuclear energy. However, we also feel disappointed that the Iranian side has failed to respond positively to the requests of the IAEA and the Security Council. Under such circumstances, we support the Security Council in taking further and appropriate actions to urge the Iranian side to suspend enrichment-related activities, in order to bring the process back to the negotiation track,” ambassador Wang Guangya declared.

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