Exclusive - Obama expected to move on Taiwan arms sales before year-end

U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a statement after attending a National Security Council meeting on the counter-Islamic State campaign at the Pentagon in Washington, December 14, 2015. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration is expected as soon as this week to authorise the sale of two guided missile frigates to Taiwan, U.S. congressional sources said on Monday, in spite of China's opposition to the deal. "We're expecting an announcement as early as this week," a Republican congressional aide said. Another congressional aide said the notification from the administration was expected "any time now." The sale would mark the first time in four years that the United States has shipped arms to Taiwan, the longest gap in such arm sales in nearly four decades. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Eric Walsh)