PEKING -- China angrily accused the United States Thursday of tricks and lies in selling military spare parts to Taiwan, bringing Sino-American friendship to thebrink of crisis on the eve of its three-year anniversary.
'Now we must state explicity that if the United States desires to preserve and develop its relations with China, it must seek, on the basis of genuine respect for China's sovereignty, a solution to the issue of selling arms to Taiwan,' said an article in the People's Daily, official mouthpiece of the Communst Party. 'There is no other way.'
The two countries exchanged ambassadors and raised flags in each others' capitals Jan. 1, 1979, amid a burst of euphoria.
The Reagan administration notified Congress of its intent to sell an estimated $97 million worth of military spare parts to Taiwan, triggering one of China's fiercest attacks against the Reagan administration.
The People's Daily accused the Americans of 'prevarications,' called them 'hegemonists' and said they had violated the normalization agreement signed three years ago.
China's first response to the spare parts deal was cautious and the Foreign Ministry said China wanted 'clarification.'
'News reports from Washington indicate the U.S. government not only will continue to sell weapons to Taiwan, but is also contemplating an escalation in this respect, and it has even asserted once again that the Chinese government has no right to make an issue of it,' the newspaper said in its biting commentary.
'This has made the matter more serious and a settlement of it has become imperative.'
American diplomats said it was not clear whether China intended to follow through on its threat to downgrade relations with the United States or take other drastic steps.
'We expected a blast but the question was, and still is, whether they will translate those words into action,' one U.S. diplomat said.
No celebrations were scheduled in Peking to mark the three-year anniversary, although ranking Chinese officials attended a reception given by Ambassador Arthur Hummel.
The People's Daily said the Chinese 'will in no case tolerate' interference in their internal affairs, which includes the sale of weapons to Taiwan. It said they will not adopt any 'unprincipled accommodation' on the point.
The article accused Washington of 'failing to honor' the normalization agreement. 'Instead, it has resorted to various prevarications to absolve itself of its own commitment.'
