U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are always controversial on Capitol Hill and that’s playing out again in China with the Obama administration’s announcement today of $5.85 billion in arms sales to Taiwan.

 The bulk of the deal ($5.3 billion ) involves radars, weapons and structural upgrades for Taiwan’s  fleet of 145 F-16 A/B fighters. Taiwan had asked for newer F-15 C/Ds.  The arms sale also provides a  five-year extension  of F-16 pilot training at Luke Air Force Base, totaling $500 million.  It also provides spare parts for sustaining Taiwan’s F-16s, F-5s and C-130s, totaling $52 million.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the sale “will help ensure that Taiwan maintains the capability to protect its airspace in both peacetime and during any crisis.”  She added, “We firmly believe that our arms sales to Taiwan contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

There has been criticism of the deal on Congress where news of the deal leaked last week and members of Congress are upset Taiwan didn’t get the newer aircraft. China has already hinted the sale could once again affect the U.S.-Chinese, military-to-military relationship and China’s Xinhua News Agency is reporting that the Chinese Foreign Ministry plans to call in the U.S. ambassador to protest the sale.

On a conference call with reporters this afternoon, two senior administration officials also described the sale as a sign of the administration’s commitment to Taiwan. One described the sale as “a smart defense policy that makes a real and immediate contribution to Taiwan’s security.” 

The other official said, “the steps are prudent, they are strong, they are responsible and part of the very clear determination of this administration to maintain the bonds of trust and confidence with the people of Taiwan.”

The officials also said that no decision has been made about the Taiwanese request for newer F-16 C/D block aircraft.

They described the upgrade as an essential step needed to maintain the capabilities of Taiwan’s air force that will  make “a substantial increase in the survivability and reliability and combat capabilities” of Taiwan’s fleet of F-16s.” 

They said the improved capabilities would be “twice the amount, in half the time” than the purchase of new planes and would allow Taiwan to field a greater number of aircraft. 

One of the officials said Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yesui was officially notified of the sale this morning.  According to one of the officials, “he registered his government’s  very firm opposition to these steps and indicated that there would be consequences for the relationship,” although he did not provide specifics.

A likely target could once again be the U.S.-China military-to-military relationship, which reached a low last year after the Obama administration announced a $6 billion arms sale to Taiwan.  After the sale was announced, China suspended military ties with the U.S. military that were not restored until earlier this year.

Also, China’s  Xinhua News Agency is reporting that in Beijing the Chinese Foreign Minister is preparing to call in U.S. Ambassador Gary Locke to protest the sale.

As for criticism of the deal on Capitol Hill, one of the officials said  he didn’t think it was fair to turn the sale “into a partisan issue as some have suggested.”  He added, “I think our commitment is strong and unwavering and we believe consistent with the best traditions of bipartisan support to Taiwan and the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

But the officials also noted that the Obama administration has already sold $12 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, which they say is comparable or greater than previous sales since the start of unofficial relations with Taiwan.