U.S. Announces Arms Deal with Taiwan

Here’s some buried Friday evening news: The Obama administration announced a $6 billion arms deal with Taiwan that will include the sale of Black Hawk helicopters, information technology, mine-hunting ships, and Patriot missiles. Since the Chinese claim Taiwan as their own, even though it is self-governed, and strongly opposes U.S. arms deals to the island, this move is bound to irritate China. The arms deal partially satisfies a pledge of an $11 billion arms package made to Taiwan by former President George W. Bush in 2001, but promised F-16 fighter jets are not included in the sale. Lawmakers have a history of supporting arms sales to Taiwan, but have 30 days to protest.