Taiwan wants the PAC-3 air defence missiles and destroyer equipped with the aegis battle management system to form the backbone of a low-altitude anti-missile defence umbrella to protect the entire island, the China Times reported.

Taiwanese negotiators are pushing their requests during their ongoing annual consultations with us defence officials, the paper said, adding that Taiwan is also trying once again to buy submarines, an item Washington has repeatedly refused to sell the island.

Taiwanese officials hope they can overcome US objections by drawing attention to the threat posed by China's overwhelming advantage against Taiwan in submarine warfare, it said.

Taiwan officials will also present plans during the talks, scheduled to continue till November end, for deployment of along-range early warning radar system that Washington agreed to sell to the island earlier this year, the paper said.