http://www.boston.com/dailynews/107/world/Taiwan_s_president_says_sale_o:.shtml

Taiwan's president says sale of U.S. weapons in America's best interest

By Associated Press, 4/17/2001 10:30

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) President Chen Shui-bian said Tuesday that the U.S. sale of high-tech weapons to Taiwan would protect American interests in the region and would not escalate an arms race between the island and China.

Washington is expected to announce its decision later this month on Taipei's request for destroyers equipped with the U.S. Navy's most advanced radar system, submarine-hunting planes and diesel-powered submarines.

During a meeting with visiting Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez of California, Chen said that an arms sale ''would protect Taiwan's achievements as a democracy,'' which in turn ''was in the best interests of the United States.''

''A safe Taiwan is the greatest guarantee for a safe Asia-Pacific region,'' Chen told Sanchez.

Chen added that U.S. interests in the region ''would be guaranteed'' if there were peace in the Taiwan Strait the 78-mile stretch of water separating the island from rival China.

Tuesday's meeting was Chen's third with U.S. lawmakers in more than a week. Chen had previously met with Democratic Rep. David Wu of Oregon, and a separate delegation of members from the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949, and Beijing has aggressively lobbied U.S. leaders not to approve the weapons sales to the island, which it regards as a renegade province.

Although the United States is obligated the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act to sell Taiwan enough weapons for the island to defend itself, Beijing has warned repeatedly that such deals would seriously harm Sino-U.S. ties.

Officials from both sides have declined to discuss the negotiations.

-- Anonymous, April 18, 2001