The 15 year old European Union arms embargo, imposed after the Tiananmen Square crackdown of 1990, is to be lifted, despite protests by the US. The change is likely to take place before the UK takes the presidency of the EU in July.
China welcomed the statement, calling the arms ban as a "product of the Cold War" but the US is unhappy at the prospect. UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the US position was down to a "lack of information and understanding" of EU guidelines.
"If it is lifted we will end up with as effective arms controls in relation to China as we have now" he said, stating that "to lump them in with, say, Burma and Zimbabwe" was not appropriate.
