Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has recommended to President George W. Bush that he not sell sophisticated Aegis-equipped destroyers to Taiwan, but other reports suggest Washington will supply Taipei with high-tech anti-radar missiles.

Taiwan's United Daily News said yesterday that the U.S. may be willing to sell anti-radiation missiles that home in on an enemy's radar signal to Taiwan because the island has developed its own indigenous HARM, or high-speed anti-radar missile, already.

P-3 Orion anti-submarine warfare planes are on Taiwan's arms 'wish list.'

The report, which featured a photo of a Taiwanese air force Indigenous Defensive Fighter armed with two of the missiles, said they were variants of a locally developed Tienchien II medium-range air-to-air missile.

In the past, the U.S. has refused to sell HARMs to Taiwan over concerns that they could be used as offensive weapons. However, the report said Washington "may become more likely than before to arm Taiwan with HARMs … after Taiwan's Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology has developed the weaponry. …"

Quoting Taiwanese defense ministry officials, the United Daily News report said U.S.-made AGM-88 HARM missiles are on Taiwan's arms "wish list" this year.

President Bush today is expected to announce what weapons the U.S. will sell Taiwan.

The USS Chandler, one of four Kidd-class destroyers the Bush administration may sell to Taiwan.

Instead of the Aegis-equipped ships, reports say Rumsfeld has recommended that Bush allow the sale of older Kidd-class destroyers, built in the late 1970s and no longer in U.S. Navy service.

Besides the four Kidd-class warships, the Bush administration is expected to consider the sale of P-3 Orion anti-submarine warfare aircraft, Patriot PAC-3 air-defense missiles, eight diesel-electric submarines and laser guided weapons, as well.

U.S. wire reports said key lawmakers were notified of the terms and conditions of the Taiwan weapons sale on Capitol Hill late yesterday.

Pentagon officials have said though not currently in service with the U.S. Navy, the four Kidd-class destroyers -- originally built for the Iranian navy while the late Shah was still in power -- are still very capable ships.

Also, according to the Federation of American Scientists, the ships "are unique among U.S. warships, in that it combines the combat systems capability of the former Virginia-class cruisers with the proven anti-submarine warfare qualities of a Spruance-class destroyer."

"The four Kidd-class guided missile destroyers are similar to the Spruance-class destroyers but have greater displacement and improved combat systems. The ships are built on the same hull as the Spruance destroyers, though without the latter's extensive offensive capability," FAS said.

Reports say Taiwan is also interested in buying Patriot PAC-3 air-defense systems from the U.S.

Built for action in the Persian Gulf, these ships are oriented for general-purpose operations, rather than specialized anti-submarine war, said an FAS report. Besides being outfitted with air-defense radar that allows them to command a wide ocean area, they can also support amphibious landing forces.

The ships can achieve a top speed of 33 knots (38 mph) and are capable of multi-role missions.

Greece had originally expressed an interest in leasing at least one of the ships, but apparently, the deal never went through.

Meanwhile, China said yesterday that depending on the weapons package the White House eventually decides on for Taiwan, Beijing is prepared to increase its arms sales to Iraq, North Korea and other U.S. rivals, as well as recall its ambassador from Washington "for consultations."

Hong Kong reports yesterday quoted several Chinese officials as saying Beijing had come up with a number of retaliatory measures if U.S. officials approve arms sales to Taiwan -- even if they include less sophisticated weapons than Taipei is seeking.

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