$6.4bn USD weapons sale to Taiwan

US announced $6B arms sale to Taiwan on Friday (Jan. 29, 2010).

I have to admit that I have mixed feeling about this news. I don't like weapon and war because they hurt and kill people, destroy environments and ecosystems, and take over too many money and resources. Unfortunately I don't think Taiwan and Taiwanese have much choice to feel upset about it because we do need something to protect and secure ourselves when China doesn't give up their intension to invade Taiwan.

I prefer to use those money to protect Taiwan's environment, conserve Taiwan's ecosystem, develop renewable energy research, establish better welfare system, etc. if we don't need to face China's military threaten. Sigh! Can we have a different choice?

US announces $6B arms sale to Taiwan (The Washington Post, FOSTER KLUG, January 29, 2010)
WASHINGTON -- In a move sure to aggravate China, the Obama administration on Friday announced plans for more than $6 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, the self-governing island the Chinese claim as their own.

US announces Taiwan arms sale plans (BBC, 29 January 2010)
The Pentagon has notified Congress of a proposed arms sale to Taiwan, worth $6bn (£3.7bn).
PROPOSED ARMS SALE
114 Patriot missiles ($2.81bn)
60 Black Hawk helicopters ($3.1bn)
Communication equipment ($340m)
2 Osprey mine-hunting ships ($105m)
12 Harpoon missiles ($37m)

China fumes at US arms sale to Taiwan (guardian.co.uk, Tania Branigan and Paul Harris, 30 January 2010)
China and the US are set for renewed confrontation after Beijing warned of serious repercussions following Washington's announcement of a $6.4bn (£4bn) arms deal with Taiwan.

US defends $6.4bn weapons sale to Taiwan (BBC, 30 January 2010)
The US State Department said on Saturday that the sale contributed to "security and stability" between Taiwan and China, Reuters reported.

China's strident tone raises concerns among Western governments, analysts (The Washington Post, John Pomfret, January 31, 2010)
China's indignant reaction to the announcement of U.S. plans to sell weapons to Taiwan appears to be in keeping with a new triumphalist attitude from Beijing that is worrying governments and analysts across the globe.