I don't understand this basis of analysis (link added):
The Obama administration's impending decision on arms sales to Taiwan is likely to strain the diplomatic truce between the United States and China, which faces rising domestic demands to wield its growing power against debt-saddled Washington.
Our decision is likely to strain relations with China?
So, a communist dictatorship wants to conquer a free democracy, we may sell Taiwan weapons to defend themselves, and China may decide to throw a hissy fit over that decision.
And it is our fault. Not China's fault for wanting to conquer or otherwise subjugate a free people. Not China's fault for making our sale of weapons to a free people more important than good relations with us.
Do not become confused. Standing with a free people against even a much larger dictatorship is not the cause of any bad relations with China. When China needed us to hold off the Soviet threat, Peking managed not to throw hissy fits and threaten us over our defense ties to Taiwan. So the Chinese are capable of choosing whether to treat our arms sales as more important than other objectives.
We should just sell the F-16s to Taiwan. It isn't like we'll get any credit with Peking for simply selling other weapons or upgrades to older F-16s. As a professor at Peking University explained:
"The [Chinese] public isn't concerned about what specifically you sell to Taiwan. It feels that selling the weapons in itself shows the United States lacks respect for China," Wu said.
"It's like a friend slapping another friend on the face. It doesn't matter whether you slap two times or three times."
In for an upgrade, in for new planes, eh? Just get it over with and sell it all now rather than endure a hissy fit now and then have another debate in a couple years as Taiwan continues to seek new F-16s that they desperately need.
The Chinese are choosing to make a big deal about our arms sales to Taiwan. I don't value quiet relations with China as worth the price of throwing Taiwan under the bus and teaching our other allies in the region that we will stand with them against China only as long as it isn't inconvenient for us.
You can understand why China would like us to pursue that policy. Why we should cooperate is beyond me. Do not become confused over that.
