Pentagon OKs missile sale to Taiwan

GUANGZHOU, CHINA — Washington will sell $90 million worth of anti-ship missiles to Taiwan, ending what some analysts said has been a U.S. freeze on arms sales that was designed to ease cross-strait tension between China and Taiwan.

The Department of Defense has given the go-ahead for the purchase of 60 Harpoon Air Launch missiles made by McDonnell Douglas Corp. for delivery in 2009, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported Wednesday.

The announcement comes at a time of improved relations between China and Taiwan. Since taking office in May, Taiwanese President Ma Ying- jeou has pledged to improve economic and political relations with China even as he has promised to maintain the island's defense capabilities.

The Harpoon missile deal is in addition to a $12-billion arms package sought for Taiwan that has been stalled for years.

"This sends a message that Washington is committed to Taiwan's defense," said Andrew Yang, secretary-general of the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies, a think tank in Taipei, the Taiwanese capital. "And with some sort of framework for improved cross-strait relations under consideration, Taiwan needs to bargain from a position of strength."

Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war. Beijing considers the island part of its territory and has threatened to use force if necessary to prevent the Taipei government from declaring independence.

Analysts said China's military, the People's Liberation Army, is spending aggressively to modernize, putting pressure on Taiwan to maintain a credible deterrent. Ma also wants to send a signal to Taiwanese voters that he is paying attention to the island's safety and well-being amid concern that he might become too cozy with Beijing.

The Harpoons are designed to raise the potential cost of a Chinese amphibious attack and deter a maritime blockade.

"But the fact is, unless these Harpoons have some sort of magical power, anything that costs $90 million isn't going to dramatically tip the balance one way or the other," said Justin Logan, an analyst at the Cato Institute in Washington.

Taiwan has successfully launched Harpoon missiles from F-16 aircraft, but the weapons are ideally suited for P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, designed to skim the surface before sinking ocean-going warships.