Last Friday, the
U.S. Department of Defense announced the approval of a major arms sales package for Taiwan. The $6.4 billion deal includes 114 Patriot advanced capability (PAC-3) missiles, 60 Blackhawk helicopters, and two Osprey-class mine-hunting ships, among other items. The Obama administration is still considering Taiwan's request for the F-16 C/Ds that it wants to replace some of its aging fighters.
As it has in the past,
Beijing quickly expressed its indignation through multiple channels. Foreign Ministry officials denounced the arms sales as interference in China's internal affairs and China's official media warned that the decision would "inevitably cast a long shadow on Sino-U.S. relations." ...