France Arms Sales Taiwan

China on Wednesday ordered France to close its Canton consulate in one month in retaliation for France's reported plans to sell 60 Mirage fighter planes to Taiwan. It was China's first formal act of retaliation after repeated warnings that France would pay a heavy price for the sale. The French government has refused to confirm the sale, but French and Taiwanese news reports said French companies signed contracts in November to sell 60 2000-5 jet fighters worth $2.6 billion and 1,000 missiles.

China on Wednesday ordered France to close its Canton consulate in one month in retaliation for France's reported plans to sell 60 Mirage fighter planes to Taiwan. It was China's first formal act of retaliation after repeated warnings that France would pay a heavy price for the sale. The French government has refused to confirm the sale, but French and Taiwanese news reports said French companies signed contracts in November to sell 60 2000-5 jet fighters worth $2.6 billion and 1,000 missiles.

The Taiwanese government, already buying F-16 fighters from the United States, will soon sign a contract to buy 60 Mirage 2000 jet fighters from France for about $2.6 billion, the island's state-funded radio said Saturday. Quoting unnamed sources, the Broadcasting Corp. of China said the jet's maker, Dassault Aviation, had agreed to cut its original price of $54 million per jet by 20%. The radio said the contract would be signed in the near future but gave no further details.

The Taiwanese government, already buying F-16 fighters from the United States, will soon sign a contract to buy 60 Mirage 2000 jet fighters from France for about $2.6 billion, the island's state-funded radio said Saturday. Quoting unnamed sources, the Broadcasting Corp. of China said the jet's maker, Dassault Aviation, had agreed to cut its original price of $54 million per jet by 20%. The radio said the contract would be signed in the near future but gave no further details.