Washington now faces choices: proceed with the deal and adjust its conception of alliances in the region or succumb to legislative stagnation and reject or downgrade the deal.
Even Jake Sullivan, former United States president Joe Biden’s national security adviser, said “the Washington Consensus is a promise that was not kept[.]”
While China has warned of serious consequences and may impose sanctions, the U.S. frames the sale as a necessary sustainment measure for existing aircraft rather than an escalation.