Lyle Goldstein, director of the Asia Program at Defense Priorities, said the package will likely be delayed and announced after the president’s trip to China, adding he expects the sale to include fewer advanced weapons, such as High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) light multiple rocket launchers, and M109 Paladin artillery system, and feature more F-16 fighter jets.
“For example, it is conceivable that Beijing will ask the U.S. to commit to preventing basing of medium-range missile systems on offshore islands that are closer to the Chinese coast,” he told The Hill on Friday.
Goldstein said he did think the discussion seemingly breached the Six Assurances, but that those principles should not carry any weight since they are “outdated and nonsensical—for the most part.”
“Taiwan is not a vital national interest for the U.S., but stable security and trade relations with China are an absolutely vital interest. Inevitably, therefore, the Taiwan issue including arms sales, will be on the agenda of U.S.-China relations,” he said. “A much more serious issue is the 3rd Communique (1982) with China, wherein the U.S. agreed to gradually decrease arms sales to Taiwan.”
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