U.S. Reins In Annual Sale of Arms to Taiwan to Ease Strain With China
The Clinton administration has scaled back its annual package of weapons sales to Taiwan to avoid exacerbating tensions with China, U.S. officials said Wednesday.
After an annual review of Taiwan’s defense needs, U.S. officials agreed to sell Taipei an unspecified number of Stinger antiaircraft missiles, an advanced targeting and navigation system for jet fighters and a package of electronic warfare equipment.
At the same time, they turned down a request from Taiwan for six diesel-powered submarines, Maverick tactical air-to-surface laser-guided missiles and advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles.
U.S. officials said they feared that the submarines could be considered offensive, rather than defensive, weapons. Partly to avoid angering China, Washington traditionally has confined its annual weapons sales to Taiwan almost entirely to defensive weapons.
Administration officials said that, with China conducting military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, they anticipate prompt congressional approval of the package. Taiwan already is in the process of buying 150 U.S.-made F-16 jet fighters.
Analysts speculated that the package is modest enough that Beijing probably will not protest much.
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