Will the United States Help Taiwan Build Submarines?

Today, the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, Ed Royce, is beginning a three day visit to Taipei for talks over a wide range of issues, including future arms sales.

According to the Taipei Times, arms talks are likely to concentrate on requested U.S. technical aid for domestic submarines. “Royce is thought to favor helping with the submarines, but without support from U.S. President Barack Obama, the legislators have limited power in this area,” the newspaper notes.

In 2001, the Bush administration agreed to help Taiwan acquire or produce eight diesel-electric submarines, yet so far the United States has proven reluctant to fulfill its pledge.

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