Taiwan: Major U.S. Arms Sales Since 1990

Shirley A. Kan | Congressional Research Service | 2010-09-28

This report examines U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan within the context of U.S. strategy toward China. The report states that "at the last U.S.-Taiwan annual arms sales talks on April 24, 2001, President George W. Bush approved for possible sale diesel-electric submarines, P-3 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft (linked to the submarine sale), four decommissioned U.S. Kidd-class destroyers, and other items. Bush also deferred decisions on Aegis-equipped destroyers and other items, while denying other requests. Afterward, attention turned to Taiwan, where the military, civilian officials, and legislators from competing political parties debated contentious issues about how much to spend on defense and which U.S. weapons to acquire."