Yesterday, Admiral Timothy Keating, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, publicly acknowledged that the United States had frozen arms sales to Taiwan. Last year, Taipei asked Washington to sell advanced versions of Lockheed Martin’s F-16 fighter. Keating cited improving ties between Beijing and the island republic as a reason for the denial of Taipei’s request. In view of China’s rapid and sustained modernization of its military, Washington’s refusal to sell the planes is probably a violation of the Taiwan Relations Act, which requires the United States to sell military equipment based “solely” upon one consideration: “the needs of Taiwan.” The admiral also admitted that the Navy had regularly consulted Beijing on weapons sales. The consultations are a possible violation of the Act, but they are clearly in contravention of President Reagan’s Six Assurances of 1982.

In the wake of Keating’s remarks, the State Department is expected to issue a press statement today on the matter. We don’t have to wait for the statement to know what’s going on. As the Heritage Foundation’s John Tkacik said, “The Bush administration has abandoned all commitments to defend Taiwan’s democracy.”

Dictatorial Beijing has always complained of America selling arms to democratic Taiwan, but finally the Chinese have found a compliant American president. The man who once said he would do whatever it took to defend Taiwan now says “yes” to whatever Chinese autocrats demand. On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned of “creeping militarization” of American foreign policy. That’s not the problem, Mr. Secretary. If there’s anything you should be worried about, especially after Keating’s admissions yesterday, is your administration’s creeping cravenness.