U.S. rejects China's objections over Taiwan arms sales

WASHINGTON (AFX-ASIA) - A U.S. government spokesman has rejected China's objections to arms sale to Taiwan and warned Beijing it can halt the flow of U.S. weaponry only by downgrading its threat to the island."The best way to address this issue ... is for China to take fewer actions rather than more in terms of its military presence across the strait from Taiwan so there is less of a threat to Taiwan," said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.          "The presence of Chinese missiles across the strait is a reflection of what Taiwan faces and a factor the United States considers in determining what Taiwan's defense needs are."          Fleischer also suggested that the White House next year will revisit the issue of providing Taiwan the high-tech Aegis radar system.          "Presumably we'll all be standing around this table asking the same questions and getting the same non-answers next year," he said.          Fleischer said Taiwan's military is structured for defensive purposes, and that "any new weapons systems that are provided will fall into a defensive configuration." 

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