Taiwan’s military will buy up to 20 helicopters from a German manufacturer.
….to be the first European sale to Taiwan's armed forces since the early 90s.
Taiwan's defence ministry spokesman Martin Yu said the island would buy EC-225 search-and-rescue helicopters. The $111m contract with Eurocopter, a subsidiary of EADS, is for three helicopters, with an option to buy up to 17 more.
Defense News, which first reported the sale, said the contract would be signed within a few days.
«If it's for a pure civic purpose that would be no problem, but if it belongs to the defence ministry then I think it could be», said Jin Canrong, professor of international studies at Renmin University.
The Taiwanese defence ministry said it was not an arms order and the EC-225 is a civilian model. But the Taiwanese armed forces have bought non-military helicopters in the past and customised them with equipment suited to military models.
Jing Huang, an expert on Asian security and visiting fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore, said China's response was likely to depend on the exact nature of the order.
«I would be surprised if China makes a big fuss and if Eurocopter had not considered China's interests in its sales to Taiwan», he added, pointing out that the mainland was a much bigger client.
«China may think it's better not to fight on two fronts [given its anger at the US deal]. It's also talking with Europeans about lifting the arms embargo. So I believe it will be more constrained; it doesn't make sense to make a fuss before the deal is even finalised».
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/feb/05/taiwanese-military-orders-german-helicopters
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