Why US plan to sell F-35 warplanes to Saudi Arabia is controversial

Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, a Democrat, opposed the sale on Thursday.He warned "it could put the crown jewels of American military technology within reach of the Chinese Communist Party".Other Democratic lawmakers and some American defence officials have raised similar concerns about giving F-35s to Saudi Arabia.They said Riyadh might share the sensitive technology with China under a security partnership between the two countries.The state department said in announcing the deal on Thursday that it would support US "foreign policy and national security objectives".It said the deal would improve "the security of a major non-Nato ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region"."The proposed ⁠sale of this equipment and support will not alter the military ⁠balance in the region," the state department added.Trump has a close relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who visited the White House last November.The two also met in May last year in Riyadh, where a $142bn arms sale was sealed – described by the White House as the "largest defence sales agreement in history".The latest proposed sale announced to Saudi Ar...