US agrees to $5.9b arms deal with Taiwan

The US is bracing for a Chinese response to its decision to sell US$5.9 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan, the Financial Times reported. Beijing has called in Ambassador Gary Locke to reprimand him for the sale, which consisted mostly of an upgrade package to Taiwan’s current fleet of 145 F-16 fighter jets. Taipei had pressed Washington to sell it new F-16s; substituting the upgrade package for new jets may have been a placatory gesture to Beijing. However, an administration official said that actual arm sales by the US to Taiwan under Obama have far outstripped those during the Bush administration. “We have provided twice the amount [in dollar terms] in half the time,” the official said. The upgrade package includes improved radar, weapons systems and a pilot training program. “The wrongdoing by the US side will inevitably undermine bilateral relations as well as exchanges and co-operation in military and security areas,” Zhang Zhijun, a Chinese vice-foreign minister, told state media.