WASHINGTON With U.S.-China ties under major strain over an American spy plane, President George W. Bush must decide by Tuesday whether to sell the world's most advanced warships to Taiwan over opposition from Beijing.

Taiwan, which communist China considers a renegade province, has asked for four $1 billion Arleigh Burke class destroyers equipped with Aegis defense systems designed to detect and attack dozens of missiles, aircraft and ships at once.

In an annual military package from Washington, Taiwan also wants diesel-electric submarines of German or Dutch design with U.S. technology, an advanced Patriot antimissile defense known as PAC-3 and Lockheed Martin Corp. P-3 maritime search and anti-submarine aircraft.

Experts expect Bush to provide less sophisticated destroyers than the Burkes to Taiwan this year, but possibly to warn China that it must stop stationing missiles along its coastline targeted across the South China Sea at Taiwan.

China objects to the sale of these weapons under a U.S. law which requires presidents to provide for Taiwan's legitimate defensive needs even though Washington recognizes Beijing as the sole legitimate government of China.

------------ Decision Due on Tuesday ------------

Senior State and Defense Department officials have recommended that Bush sell older and less-sophisticated Kidd class destroyers to Taipei instead of the Arleigh Burkes, and his final decision will be given to a delegation from Taiwan at the Pentagon on Tuesday.

Due to China's opposition, decisions on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are almost always politically sensitive. But Bush's decision is even more touchy following the April 1 collision of a U.S. Navy EP-3 reconnaissance plane and a Chinese fighter off the coast of China.

The fighter crashed, killing the pilot, but the crippled four-engine U.S. plane landed at a Chinese base and China held the 24-member crew for 11 days. Beijing has refused so far to return the aircraft, a move that has hardened the views of some members of the U.S. Congress on accelerating the modernization of Taiwan's military.

The United States said that talks in Beijing over the damaged $80 million EP-3 were productive but that further discussions would be held on whether, when and how the plane might be returned, Reuters reported.

A Chinese official in Washington last week predicted a "devastating impact" on U.S.-China relations if Washington decided to sell any advanced weapons to Taiwan.

------------ Rocky China Start for Bush ------------

Chinese Embassy spokesman Zhang Yuanyuan said this did not just apply to the Arleigh Burkes, but to other less sophisticated weaponry.

The disputes, coinciding with stepped up U.S. criticism of China's human rights record, have contributed to a rocky start for Bush in his relations with the communist giant.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said on Thursday that the United States considered the dispute over the spy plane and allegations of human rights abuses and religious persecution to be obstacles to good relations, but said Bush would deal with them "realistically."

He said Bush would also pursue progress in areas such as trade where the two countries have a mutual interest.

Washington wants the quick return of its EP-3, while China demands an end to U.S. surveillance flights near the Chinese coast, which it sees as violating its national sovereignty.

The United States says it intends to continue the flights, and published reports have said the U.S. Defense Department has drawn up standby plans for American Air Force F-15 fighters based in Japan to escort the spy planes if needed.

Beijing blames the United States for the collision.