The Ministry of National Defense yesterday thanked Washington after the US Department of State approved the sale of up to US$100 million in equipment and services to support Taiwan’s air and missile defense systems.
With the arms sale, which would maintain Taiwan’s Patriot missile air-defense system, the US is honoring its commitment to ensure that Taiwan has the capability to defend itself, as stated in the US’ Taiwan Relations Act and “six assurances,” the ministry said in a statement, expressing its “sincere gratitude” for the deal.
Washington’s latest defensive arms sale shows its determination to enhance Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities, it said, pledging that Taiwan would bolster security ties with the US to preserve peace in the region and across the Taiwan Strait.
Photo: AP
The package is likely to be formally confirmed by the US Congress after one month, the ministry said.
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement that the five-year deal covers engineering support and maintenance of air-defense systems, and would “ensure readiness for air operations.”
“The recipient will use this capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen homeland defense,” the US agency said.
This second sale under US President Joe Biden’s administration “fully demonstrated the US government’s high regard for Taiwan’s defense capabilities,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a separate statement.
Amid increasing Chinese aggression, Taiwan will continue to improve its defensive capabilities and, through close security cooperation with the US, maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait and contribute to the long-term peace, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region, it added.
The first major arms sale to Taipei under Biden was in August last year, which saw the approval of 40 Paladin M109A6 self-propelled howitzer artillery systems.
Beijing yesterday condemned the latest sale, saying that it “seriously undermines” US-China relations, as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
“China will take legitimate and strong measures to uphold its own sovereignty and security interests,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian (趙立堅) said, without specifying what the measures would be.
The Patriot is a highly mobile surface-to-air missile system that would be a crucial defense against Chinese warplanes.
Additional reporting by AFP
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