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China orders France to close consulate
BEIJING. Dec 23: China ordered France on Wednesday to close its Canton consulate in one month in retaliation for France's reported plans to sell 60 Mirage fighter planes to Taiwan, reports AP.
It was China's first formal act of retaliation after repeated warnings that France would pay a heavy price for the sale. It was Intended as a signal to other European countries that have been considering weapons sales to the breakaway province.
The French government has refused to confirm the sale, but French and Taiwanese news reports said French companies signed contracts tn November to sell 60 2000-5 jet fighters worth dlrs 2.6 billion and 1,000 missiles. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Jiang Enzhu called French Ambasador Claude Martin to the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday to order the con-
sulate's closure.
"He emphasized that the French government has done serious harm to the basis of S1no-French relations." the ministry said in a statement read over the telephone."
"Under these circumstances, the Chinese government is of the view that the unilateral maintenance of the French Consulate in Ouangdtou is no longer appropriate," the statement said. Guan&hou is the Mandarin Chinese name for Canton, a prosperous southern city near Hong Kong.
Jiang said the fighter sale "Infringed on China's sovereignty and security. Interfered in China's internal affairs and obstructed and jeopardized China's efforts to achieve peaceful reunification."
In Paris, a French Foreign Ministry spokesman. Daniel Bernard, said his government regretted the Chinese move.
Asked about possible reciprocal action, he said, "I do not think we have the Intention of expressing anything other than regret."
Five diplomats and some commercial staff work at th? consulate, which opened tn 1991.
Il was not clear if the consulate closure would be China’s final action. When the Netherlands sold two submarines to Taiwan In 1981, China downgraded diplomatic relations and sent the Dutch ambassador home
AFP from Washington said: President George Bush Tuesday resumed four military sale programmes with thins that were suspended after the 1989 Tlanamen Square massacre.
In a communique, the State Deparlmcnl said the programmes had been frozen to show US concern over the crushing of the pro-democracy movement in China.
"We have made our point," the statement said, "we now believe that continuing to hold aging Items after a three-and-a half year suspension hinders rather than helps the US effort to promote cooperative Chine se behavior in a number of areas, the statement said.