WASHINGTON -- In a decision closely watched by China, President George W. Bush deferred deciding on Taiwan's request to buy U.S. destroyers equipped with high-tech Aegis combat radar equipment, leaving open the possibility of future sales if Beijing's military threats against the island persist, officials said.
The president approved the sale of four Kidd-class destroyers, less potent weapons than the Aegis-equipped destroyers sought by Taiwan, said several U.S. officials and lawmakers briefed on the decision.
However, the destroyers will quickly improve Taiwanese defenses against an increasingly belligerent China, the White House said.