Hu's visit to US may delay sale of F-16 fighters

The decision by Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) to attend a nuclear security summit in Washington later this month may mean further delays for Taiwan's request to buy advanced F-16 fighters.It also explains why US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg went out of his way earlier this week to stress that the US did not support independence for Taiwan and why US President Barack Obama “reaffirmed” Washington's “one China” policy when he received new Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yesui (張業遂) on Monday.The US was smoothing the road for Hu's two-day visit and for a possible longer official trip to the US later this summer, which would be in return for Obama’s Beijing visit in November last year.As widely reported by the US press, Obama has probably also given Hu private assurances that he will not be embarrassed by a US Treasury report due on April 15 that could declare China to be a currency manipulator........................................Taipeitimes

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