Officials expect Bush to approve sale of U.S. warships to Taiwan

WASHINGTON - President Bush is nearing a decision on whether to allow Taiwan to buy four destroyers equipped with the Navy's most advanced anti-missile radar system. Those close to the process expect he will give the self-governing island most of what it wants, but not all.

Bush will decide in the next few weeks what kind of arms package to approve for Taiwan, administration officials said. It is a major presidential decision that comes each April.

The closely watched action will be the strongest signal yet of Bush's policy for dealing with China, which adamantly opposes the sale.

Taiwan is seeking an arsenal of high-tech military hardware to counter a growing missile threat from the mainland, a threat documented last week by the Pentagon's top Pacific commander.

At the top of Taiwan's wish list are four Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The warships, priced at more than $1.2 billion apiece, are equipped with missiles and radar systems that can simultaneously track more than 200 targets.

Administration officials said over the weekend that Bush has yet to make a decision.

But officials close to the process, including Republicans in Congress involved in military issues, said they expect Bush to approve the sale to Taiwan of destroyers equipped with a sophisticated radar system - but that it will be a scaled-down version of the Aegis system.

They also said they expected Bush to attach some strings to the sales, allowing his decision to be reversed if China removes some of the missiles it has been massing on its side of the Taiwan Strait.

Former President Clinton turned down Taiwan's request for the destroyers last year.

But Taiwan's leaders and the island's supporters in Congress have been heartened by recent comments by administration officials that appeared to spell a harder line toward China.

"Bush administration policy and majority sentiment in Congress are the same," said Rep. Christopher Cox, R-Calif., who is influential on China-Taiwan issues.