Tsai's ploys doomed to failure

Of all the issues that threaten to derail the relationship between China and the United States, the US arms sales to Taiwan have stood out as being the most contentious. That explains why the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council on Thursday expressed strong opposition, a second time within the week, to the US' planned $8 billion sale of F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan.

The multibillion-dollar sale would include 66 aircraft, 75 General Electric engines, as well as other systems, according to an official notification delivered to the US Congress on Tuesday, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said.

Washington alleges that the sale, like previous ones to the island, serves US national, economic and security interests and will help Taiwan maintain a credible deterrence.