Pentagon gives OK for Taiwan missile deal: official

Politics International Politics
1

In a move thats certain to stimulate more controversy and bickering in the Taiwan legislative Yuan…the ball is now back in their court.

Pentagon gives OK for Taiwan missile deal: official
excerpt:
[i]" 2 hrs 17 mins ago
TAIPEI (AFP) – The US Defense Department has approved the sale of upgraded missile equipment to Taiwan, a Taipei-based US official said Thursday, risking the ire of the island’s rival China.

The sale of the Patriot missile equipment is part of a package passed by the US Congress more than a year ago, said a spokesman with the American Institute in Taiwan, the US de facto embassy in the absence of formal ties.

“The US Defense Department awarded Lockheed Martin Corp the contract to provide Patriot missile defence systems to Taiwan as part of a big arms deal approved by Congress in 2008,” the spokesman told AFP.[/i]

The PRC is not pleased:

[i]The announcement followed close on the heels of a warning from China, which considers the island part of its territory and wants it back even if it means war.

“We firmly oppose the US selling arms to Taiwan,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters at a regular briefing Tuesday, saying Beijing has had “serious consultations” with Washington on the issue.

“We urge the US to recognise the gravity of selling arms to Taiwan… cancel any plans to sell arms to Taiwan and stop selling arms to Taiwan so as not to damage China-US relations.”[/i]

2

perhaps the OK to sell the arms was announced now as a none-too-subtle hint to Ma that he is not part of China. Now, if he refuses to take them on board to please his China string-holders, he’s out in the open as a China hack, and will never get the chance to allow the import of USA beef again. If he does take them to show he is still in charge of the KMT then he misses out on his iron rice bowl following the annexation of Taiwan by those Chinese fellers across the Yeller Strait. a nice conundrum, probably answered by Ma’s doing nothing and sitting on his hands for another five years.

3

This is nothing new reference the quote “The sale of the Patriot missile equipment is part of a package passed by the US Congress more than a year ago”.

Done a year ago. This portion is merely the part where USG awards a contract to the contractor for a program signed with the USG more than a year ago.

People and press are trying to hard to connect/disconnect with beef issue or see something happen with arms sales after a long delay while Obama went to visit China.