U.S. Approves Sale of 4 WarShips to Taiwan ... as China Objects

A Taiwanese Perry class frigate participates in military exercises 
off the east coast of Hualien, central Taiwan, Sept. 17, 2014. AP

The U.S. approved the sale to Taiwan of four used warships, drawing a swift rebuke from China, which called the move damaging to Chinese security interests.

A White House statement said President Barack Obama signed into law on Thursday the legislation authorizing the sale of the Oliver Hazard Perry class guided-missile frigates.

The authorization was long expected, with the bill having slowly progressed through Congress this year, and Taipei has already said tight defense budgets mean it will only buy two of the vessels, instead of all four. The ships won’t alter the military balance, which is tilted in Beijing’s favor, according to Taiwan lawmakers and military experts.

CLICK CHART to ENLARGE

Still, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday it lodged protests over the sale with U.S. officials in Beijing and in Washington. Authorization of the sale “blatantly interferes in China’s domestic affairs and undermines China’s sovereignty and security interests,” ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a daily media briefing in Beijing.

Read the rest of the story HERE.

If you like what you see, please "Like" us on Facebook either here or here. Please follow us on Twitter here.