The US Defense Department is likely to oppose the sale of four Aegis-equipped destroyers to Taiwan, but will recommend selling long-rage radar that can detect China's possible missile launches instead, the Washington Post reported yesterday.
As the annual US-Taiwan defense review began yesterday, the Clinton Administration is trapped between infuriating China with the sale or antagonizing key Republicans in Congress if it rejects Taiwan's request.
Taiwan has hoped the administration would give the go-ahead to buy the four destroyers armed with the Aegis system, at US$1.1 billion each.
The Post quoted Pentagon sources close to the deliberations as saying that the Pentagon had reportedly decided to recommend putting off Taiwan's request to buy several major new weapons.
These include submarines and P-3 Orion anti-submarine aircraft, as well as four Arleigh Burke-class destroyers equipped with the Aegis battle management systems, a radar and computer array capable of simultaneously tracking more than 100 targets on land, in the air and at sea.
However, the Pentagon is expected to recommend a comprehensive study of Taiwan's naval defense needs that may lead to future sales of parts or all of these weapons, the Post quoted an official involved in the talks as saying.
Pentagon spokespersons could not be reached for comment.
The Pentagon also reportedly favors the sales of long-range radar, known as PAVE PAWS to Taiwan -- but only if Taiwan could demonstrate how it would be integrated into its air defense system.
The Post quoted an administration official estimating the US would deliver the radar within one or two years.
PAVE PAWS is designed to detect and monitor ballistic missiles and can be linked to missile defense systems, the newspaper said.
Both the National Security Council and the State Department are believed to favor the sale of a small package of arms to Taiwan.
The Pentagon has also decided to back the sale of advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM) to Taiwan on the condition that they be stored in the US.
Taiwanese forces would be trained in the US to use the missiles. A Pentagon official said the missiles would be moved to Taiwan if China acquired a similar, Russian-made missile called the AAX-12.
The Pentagon also wants to sell Taiwan an upgraded version of the Maverick air-to-ground missile, a Pentagon official told the Post.
Admiral Dennis Blair, commander in chief of US Pacific Command, with responsibility for US forces in the Asia-Pacific region, has made clear that he believes Taiwan faces a serious missile threat from China.
"Currently, China has deployed about 200 ballistic missiles against Taiwan and is adding about 50 missiles per year," Blair said in a speech in Washington on March 16. "Though these missiles are terror weapons -- too inaccurate to hit military targets with any confidence -- as the numbers increase and their accuracy improves, they will pose a military threat to Taiwan."
Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, the US is committed to provide "defensive" arm sales to Taiwan, which has been perceived in Taiwan as a gauge of Washington's support in face of military threats from Beijing.
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