He stopped short of saying whether the so-called appropriate defense power has anything to do with the ongoing military threat from China, which has vowed to attack Taiwan should it declare formal independence, reported dpa. Taiwan and China have remained at loggerheads since they split at the end of a civil war in 1949. Washington has repeatedly asked Taiwan to honour the 12 billion US dollar deal, in which Taipei is to buy eight conventional submarines, 12 P3C submarine-hunting aircraft and six Patriot-III anti-missile systems from the US. But the deal has been opposed by the KMT and its ally, the People First Party, on the ground that the price tag is too expensive. Local news media said after repeated pressure from the US, the KMT may ease its stern position by agreeing to a scaled-down package for just the P3C aircraft and possibly the submarines, but the KMT has declined to comment on the reports. The US visit of Ma, who is also the Taipei mayor, will be closely watched in Taiwan and China, as the highly popular opposition leader has emerged as the presidential hopeful in 2008. It is also Ma's first trip to the US as head of the KMT. Ma has not been shy over his criticism of the human rights and undemocratic situation within China, though his party has backed cross-strait unification. --spa 15 29 Local Time 12 29 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/346734