Nuclear Parts Sent To Taiwan In Error

Henry and Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne said the Taiwanese did not appear to tamper with the items, which contain 1960s-era technology, and that the nose cones would not have been dangerous on their own because they work only with U.S. missile technology. Of greater concern to senior U.S. officials is that classified nuclear-related items left U.S. control, reached the hands of a foreign military and went without notice for so long.

U.S. foreign military sales to Taiwan totaled nearly $10 billion in deliveries from 1999 through 2006, second only to Saudi Arabia, which received $13.3 billion, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service. Sales to Taiwan have included numerous weapons systems -- from helicopters and tanks to air defense missiles and radar systems -- as well as parts and services.

Beijing regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and has more than 700 ballistic missiles pointed at the island. Much of China's military buildup appears aimed at achieving air and sea superiority in any conflict with Taiwan.

The United States has long maintained a "one China" policy -- acknowledging that both China and Taiwan say Taiwan is part of China -- while supporting Taiwan with arms sales. In discussions with U.S. officials, the Chinese have argued that one of three communiques governing U.S.-China relations, signed in 1982, requires the United States to reduce arms sales to Taiwan.

But President Ronald Reagan, who signed the communique, at the same time secretly signed a one-page memo stating that the communique restricted U.S. arms sales only if the balance of power between Taiwan and China was preserved.

Joseph Cirincione, president of the Ploughshares Fund, said the nose-cone incident underscores how Washington has "too many nuclear weapons with too little control over them." He said he worries that the incident will raise Chinese suspicions that Taiwan is restarting its nuclear program -- it does not now have nuclear capabilities -- and could spur China to assume a more aggressive stance.

"Imagine how we would feel if the Russians accidentally shipped warhead fuses to Tehran," Cirincione said. "We'd be going nuts right now. It would be hard for them to convince us that it was an accident."

Staff writer Glenn Kessler contributed to this report.