The proposed sale of four Aegis destroyers for 120 billion Taiwan dollars (3.5 billion US) is likely to draw protests from Beijing as it would boost Taiwan's naval defense capabilities against rival China.

China has told the United States it should stop selling advanced arms to Taiwan and cut military links with the island if it wants to improve bilateral relations.

The Taipei-based China Times said Taiwan had told the US it wants to buy the four destroyers and that Washington could "announce the sales next year".

It said that once the destroyer deal clears the parliamentary floor the Taiwanese navy would be able to acquire the first Aegis system in 2011.

The defense ministry declined to comment on the reports.

Taiwan's military is seeking parliament's approval of the planned 610 billion Taiwan dollar arms purchase from the United States which includes eight diesel-powered submarines, anti-missile Patriot systems and 12 submarine-hunting P-3C aircraft.

Following complaints from lawmakers that the arms package was too expensive, Defense Minister Lee Jye last week agreed to cut costs by about 93 billion Taiwan dollars.

Parliament speaker Wang Jin-pyng had already asked Washington to lower the price of the package while on a trip to the United States in June.

Beijing has ratcheted its rhetoric against Taipei since the March re-election of pro-independence President Chen Shui-bian, strengthening its vow to take Taiwan by force should the island declare formal independence.

Chen has argued the island needs to upgrade its weapons capability to deter the military threat from China.

The two sides split in 1949 at the end of civil war.

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