Top story:  Reacting angrily to a planned U.S. arms sale to Taiwan, China has threatened to slap sanctions on U.S. companies participating in the deal. China has also suspended planned visits between high-ranking military officials, postponed a planned arms control meeting, and summoned U.S. ambassador Jon Huntsman to voice its disapproval of the deal, which was announced on Friday. The $6.4 billion deal includes 60 Black Hawk helicopters, 114 Patriot air defense missiles, and two Osprey mine-hunting ships.

The Chinese media lambasted the United States for the deal with the government-run China Daily saying it, "exposes [its] usage of double standards and hypocrisy on major issues related to China's core interests." The People's Daily described as evidence of "rude and unreasonable Cold War thinking".

The latest tensions could be the first of a series of diplomatic flare-ups between the United States and China this year. President Barack Obama is also expected to meet soon with the Dalai Lama, further straining ties with Beijing. 

Haiti

  • The United States is resuming airlifts of injured Haitians to U.S. hospitals, five days after the flights were suspended.  
  • Aid agencies have launched a new food distribution program focusing primarily on women. 
  • Ten Americans from an Idaho church group were arrested for trying to transport 33 children over the Dominican border without proper identification. 

Middle East

Asia

  • Envoys of the Dalai Lama met with Chinese officials in Beijing. 
  • The Pakistani Taliban denied reports that leader Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a U.S. drone strike and says it will produce evidence that he is alive. 
  • North and South Korea held talks on Monday, days after gunfire was exchanged across the border. 

Africa

  • The African Union elected Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika as its new president, despite a bid from Libyan leader Muammar al Qaddafi to stay on.
  • A Royal Dutch Shell oil pipeline was sabotaged in Nigeria shortly after the country's Mend rebels declared they were ending their ceasefire. 
  • Heavy mortar fire between African Union peacekeepers and Shabaab rebels in Mogadishu killed at least 12 civilians. 

Americas

Europe

  • Russian police broke up anti-Kremlin demonstrations in Moscow and St. Petersburg, arresting more than 100.
  • U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is in Cyprus for unity talks. 
  • German authorities say a Swiss source offered to sell them confidential bank data showing tax evasion by over 1,500 German citizens.  



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EXPLORE:MORNING BRIEF
 
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DON BACON

10:55 AM ET

February 1, 2010

real stupid

Antagonizing your chief banker just while asking for cooperation on North Korea and Iran is not smart (which Obama claimed he was). Obama had better cancel his chat with the Lama or it's all over.

 

SURESH SHETH

12:54 PM ET

February 1, 2010

China threatens sanctions over US-Taiwan arms deal

Obviously second cold war has begun, now between US and China. US needs to thank Nixon for making such a rapid rise of China to a super power status possible.

Afterall China was a pariah country in the world just like today’s North Korea until anti-Communist Nixon’s 1972 visit during the height of Mao‘s cultural revolution that was killing millions of Chinese. All the West European and East Asian countries stayed away from China following the US lead until 1972 and embraced China after Nixon’s visit. While US would not give MFN status to Soviet Union (remember Jackson-Vanik amendment?) unless Russia shed Communism, it had no problem giving it to China’s Communist dictators with a capitalist mask. Trade with China expanded by leaps and bounds during 12 years of Republican rule beginning in 1981. Bush Senior had NO problem sending his national security advisor to Beijing within two months of Beijing massacre in 1989. After campaigning against butchers of Beijing in 1992 elections, even Bill Clinton became enthusiastic supporter of trade with China once he took lessons in foreign policy from Nixon in early 1993 during a special Whitehouse-arranged meeting. US also promoted China to a super power status by accepting it as a permanent UNSC member.

It behooves China to erect a statue of anti-communist Nixon right next to die-hard communist Mao in Beijing for making China’s rapid rise as super power possible. Reagan must be squirming in his grave for the rise of another Communist super power to challenge US thanks to his Republican predecessor, after he thought he vanquished the first one.

 

COCOSTAR

2:33 PM ET

February 1, 2010

CHINA

Manipulating currency, trade deficits every month, military vessels popping up on the shores of California, cyber attacks, patent infringement, constant military build ups. Enough of the China War Machine. Enforce all the trade laws now. Put Americans back to work making American products. The world has shown its true intentions with trade, the EURO, American debt and conflict. The world will never know any country so generous and persevering for many millenniums. Enough of the world, its time for Michigan and Mississippi, Philli, N.Y. and Dallas, Atlanta and Miami, and all America.

 

ESUSAN

5:26 PM ET

February 1, 2010

Taiwan vs. China

@Getsixpackabs, I won't be surprised if something actually "gets done" this time. China strongly believes that we are threatening their national security. Based on this interview I saw, I think China will definitely tell the U.S. and Taiwan "whats what." http://tinyurl.com/yju9u2m

 

JULIAESTELLEO

1:37 AM ET

February 8, 2010

China vs Taiwan Never End

China and Taiwan will never peace, but i hope soon there is no problem anymore and all the previous problems are solved immediately.
Waterpokken eiwitdieet

 

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