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White House announces arms sale to Taiwan

The older Kidd class destroyers (top) and MH-53 helicopters are part of a large purchase order to boost Taiwan's defense capabilites
The older Kidd class destroyers, top, and MH-53 helicopters are part of a large purchase order to boost Taiwan's defense capabilities  

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Despite protests from China, the White House formally announced Tuesday it was selling a weapons package to Taiwan that includes four Kidd-class destroyers and assistance in buying eight diesel submarines.

"It is a package to help Taiwan provide for its defense," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.

The sale, details of which had been leaked to reporters last week, angered China, which considers Taiwan a renegade province. In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue noted the Chinese government has always opposed U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and said such a move would increase tensions in the Asia-Pacific region.

She said China has "serious concern" about the sale.

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China's ambassador to the United States paid a visit to the State Department on Tuesday morning to deliver a similar message.

The sale will not include more sophisticated destroyers -- stocked with Aegis radar systems -- that Taiwan had sought. But Fleischer said that could still happen at a later date.

"I'd remind you, this is an annual process. And the president made his decisions based on what he viewed as Taiwan's legitimate defense needs. And he's taken the action he deemed proper," Fleischer said, adding that "Taiwan always has the right to come back" and ask for more.

"It will be part of, as I indicated, an ongoing unofficial dialogue," he said.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Mississippi, called Bush's decision "prudent," a comment echoed by other Republicans.

"I think the president was very measured in what he decided to do. China understands that we have some agreements with Taiwan," Lott said. "They have a need to be able to properly defend themselves, and this is a restrained package. And I think the president made the right decision."

China's ambassador to the United States, Yang Jiechi, went to the State Department on Tuesday to express what Philip Reeker, State Department deputy spokesman, called a "formal protest" over the proposed sales.

Marc Grossman, undersecretary for political and military affairs, "made it very clear that we don't consult with the People's Republic of China on our arms sales to Taiwan, under the Taiwan Relations Act and the obligations we have there," Reeker said.

Fleischer said Bush took a balanced approach.

"Of course, relations with China are at all times very important; relations with Taiwan are important. Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States took the action the president deemed was the proper and appropriate reaction to take," he said.

The arms sale to Taiwan took on new importance and sensitivity after the collision between a U.S. reconnaissance plane and a Chinese fighter jet over the South China Sea.

China continues to hold the spy plane, although the 24-member crew was allowed to leave China's Hainan Island, where the plane made an emergency landing.

Some in Congress had urged Bush to approve sale of the Aegis systems in reaction to China's stance during the 11-day standoff that followed the collision.

In addition to the four Kidd-class destroyers, the United States agreed to supply a dozen P-3 Orions, reconnaissance planes known as "sub hunters" for their ability to detect submarines. The U.S. also agreed to help Taiwan purchase diesel submarines from a third country that still manufactures them.



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RELATED SITES:
The Taiwan Government
Taiwan Defense Ministry
The White House
Chinese Foreign Ministry
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