China wants Polish help to end EU arms embargo

Generał Liang Guanglie during a visit to USA: photo - PAP/EPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS

The talks will centre around Beijing’s attempt to end the EU arms embargo with China, which was imposed in response to the bloody crackdown against protesters in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

It is known that, unofficially, Poland is in favour of ending the embargo, which China has called “political discrimination”.

In December 2009, the then Polish defence minister Bogdan Klich signed an agreement on Polish-Chinese defence cooperation with Gen. Guanglie, the first such agreement between the two countries.

In November last year, Polish commander-general Zbigniew Głowienka visited Beijing, where the chief of the Chinese armed forces declared a desire to increase “pragmatic cooperation" with the Polish armed forces.

A major obstacle to ending the embargo is opposition from Washington. The US fears that lifting the embargo will create a “technology transfer” that will increase the capabilities of the Chinese armed forces. (pg)

source: IAR