Finally, a sure sign that we've reached a turning point in the debate on the EU's arms embargo on China -- Richard Gere has weighed in (via Reuters):

"I so agree with your prime minister that the European Union should not remove the ban against selling arms to China," he said. "I agree with him totally."

Gere's comments Monday came a day after visiting French President Jacques Chirac tried to mollify Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi by saying that lifting the arms embargo would not result in an increase in weapons sales to China.

"They should not be rewarded for this anti-secession legislation that's in now," Gere said, referring to a new Chinese law that sanctions the use of force against Taiwan.