(Bloomberg) -- The Trump administration has given tacit approval to Taiwan’s request to buy more than 60 F-16 fighter jets, according to people familiar with the matter, a policy reversal likely to provoke China’s ire amid the trade dispute between Washington and Beijing.

President Donald Trump’s advisers encouraged Taiwan to submit a formal request for the jets, built by Lockheed Martin Corp., which it did this month, according to the people, who asked not be identified discussing internal discussions. Any such request would need to be converted into a formal proposal by the Defense and State Departments, and then Congress would have 30 days to decide whether to block the sale.

The Obama administration in 2011 rejected a similar Taiwanese request over concern about antagonizing China. But Trump has chosen a more aggressive approach at a time when the administration is locked in difficult negotiations with China over trade.

It’s unclear whether a potential F-16 sale could become a bargaining chip in those discussions or is solely an outgrowth of the administration’s renewed focus on Taiwan, a long-time U.S. ally that was once seen as a bulwark against Chinese expansion in the Asia-Pacific region. The White House had no immediate comment on the F-16 request.

In October, Vice President Mike Pence assailed China for moves to chip away at Taiwan’s diplomatic presence overseas, and its ramping up of pressure on private companies to refer to Taiwan as a province of China. The government in Beijing considers the island’s fate a “core interest” -- more important than almost any other issue.

In announcing its request for the planes, Taiwan didn’t say how many jets it was seeking. The request followed a lengthy back-and forth with the administration after the U.S. swatted down Taiwan’s earlier request for Lockheed’s more modern F-35.

The State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, which oversees such weapons sales, declined to comment on the possibility of the weapons sales.

Even if a sale is approved by Congress and a contract is reached with Lockheed, the planes probably wouldn’t be going to Taiwan anytime soon: Carolyn Nelson, a Lockheed spokeswoman, said the first F-16s to be built at a new facility in Greenville, South Carolina, won’t roll off the production line until 2021, and those are committed to Bahrain. The jets were previously built in Fort Worth, Texas.

John Bolton, Trump’s national security adviser, is a longtime supporter of Taiwan, and some advisers on the National Security Council have urged a more aggressive posture, including sending more U.S. warships through the Taiwan Strait.

As president-elect, Trump shattered precedent and infuriated China by taking a call from Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, and calling into question America’s continuing commitment to the “one-China” policy that underpinned the Nixon era establishment of ties between Beijing and Washington.

Trump has since affirmed U.S. support for “one China,” while also making clear that protecting the island is a priority in his dealings with leaders in Beijing.

--With assistance from Tony Capaccio and Margaret Talev.

To contact the reporters on this story: Nick Wadhams in Washington at nwadhams@bloomberg.net;Jennifer Jacobs in Washington at jjacobs68@bloomberg.net;Jenny Leonard in Washington at jleonard67@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Bill Faries at wfaries@bloomberg.net, Larry Liebert, Ros Krasny

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