Taiwan is planning to clinch an arms deal with the United States and buy four warships as part of efforts to boost the island nation’s military in face of any ‘threats’ from China.
Taiwan’s defense ministry proposed the idea of the military agreement with Washington to President Ma Ying-jeou last month and has set plans to allocate the budget for the arms deal next year.
The new treaty, if inked, will bring the total number of Taiwan’s warships to 12.
The four Perry-class frigates, separately built in the 1980s and to be retired by the US navy lately, are aimed to replace the Taiwan navy's fleet of eight Knox-class frigates.
Tensions between Taiwan and China have reduced after the incumbent president took office in 2008. The Taiwanese leader believes that his party's policy of rapprochement with China has benefited the island's economy and he beefed up trade links, and allowed more Chinese tourists to visit the island.
China stopped defense ties with the US in 2010 when Washington announced plans to sell more than $6 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan.
China and Taiwan have been at loggerheads for more than 60 years after their split in 1949 at the end of a civil war.
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