ARMS SALES ISSUE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83T00951R000100040033-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 23, 2008
• Sequence Number: 33
• Content Type: MISC

Approved For Release 2008/07/23: CIA-RDP83T00951 R0001 00040033-7
Arms Sales Issue
Taiwan Relations Act of 1979
Sec.2.(b) It is the policy of the United States --
(5) to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character
Sec.3.(a) the United States will make available to Taiwan such defensive
articles and defensive services in such quantity as may be necessary to enable
Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.
(b) The President and the Congress shall determine the nature and
quantity of such defensive articles and services based solely on their
judgment of the needs of Taiwan.
President Reagan's Letter to Zhao Zeyang, 6 Apr 82
As I also told the Vice Premier, we expect.that as a result of your offers
there will naturally be a decrease in the need for arms by Taiwan. Our
positions over the past two months have reflected this view. We have given
you a clear definition of our future direction.
Draft Communique currently under negotiation
President has approved
The question of United States' arms sales to Taiwan was not settled in the
course of talks between the two countries on establishing diplomatic
relations. The two sides held differing positions, and the Chinese side
reserved the right to raise the issue again, at a later time, following
normalization.
President has disapproved
Under the foregoing circumstances, the United States Government states that,
with regard to its arms sales to Taiwan, there should be no need to exceed,
either in qualitative or quantitative terms, the levels supplied in recent
years, since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United
States and China. (Already tabled with Chinese.)
On the contrary, also under the foregoing circumstances, the United States
Government states that it does not seek to pursue a policy of long-term arms
sales to Taiwan, and, that it anticipates that its sales of arms to Taiwan
will gradually diminish in future years. (Not tabled with Chinese.)
Chinese counterdraft tabled in Beijing, 22 Jan 82
The US government gives its assurance that its arms sales to Taiwan will not
exceed either in quality or in quantity the level of those supplied since the
establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and China, and
that it will take measures to reduce gradually and finally cease, within a
certain period of time, its arms sales to Taiwan altogether.
State Dept. review completed
Approved For Release 2008/07/23: CIA-RDP83T00951 R000100040033-7