There was an interesting colloquy on Tuesday during the State Department’s daily press briefing. After Assistant Secretary Philip Crowley announced the approval of export licenses to permit sale of military radar systems and components to Taiwan, one reporter asked what China’s reaction would be to the sale. China, of course, objects to all military sales to Taiwan, but Crowley dodged the question, saying ” I’ll let China react to this as they see fit.”

QUESTION: Just a quick one. As far as this – the Pentagon report to Congress on China, how much concern do you have as far as Chinese military buildup?

MR. CROWLEY: Well, it is a – it is something that we watch closely. It’s something that other countries in the region watch closely. We would like to have a fuller military-to-military relationship and dialogue so that we can better understand China’s long-term military plans, and that is something that we continue to seek.

What Crowley doesn’t mention is that it was China that cut off military-to-military contact between the U.S. and China last January after the last announcement of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. These new sales aren’t likely to change the situation.

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