The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Washington

The top US military commander in Asia acknowledged Wednesday that US arms sales to Taiwan had been frozen, amid warming ties between Beijing and Taipei and concerns expressed by China.

"There have been no significant arms sales from the United States to Taiwan in relatively recent times," said Admiral Timothy Keating, commander of the Hawaii-based US Pacific Command. Keating told a forum of the Washington-based Heritage Foundation he was aware of a freeze on US arms sales to Taiwan, saying it was "administration policy." "I would not be well positioned to speak for the State Department or the National Security Council or White House," he added. Officials who made the decision "reconciled Taiwan's military posture, China's current military posture and strategy that indicates there is no pressing, compelling need for, at this moment, arms sales to Taiwan," he said. Taiwan experts said Keating was the first official to confirm the freeze following reports last month that senior US officials were holding up an 11 billion dollar weapons package and delivery of dozens of F-16 jet fighters for Taiwan, possibly until after President George W. Bush leaves office.