🚨 CNN: The Biden administration has approved two potential arms sales totaling $440 million to Taiwan

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Biden administration approves potential $440 million arms sales to Taiwan​

The Biden administration has approved two potential arms sales totaling $440 million to Taiwan amid ongoing tensions between the self-governing island and Beijing, the State Department announced Thursday.

One sale, totaling about $332 million, includes 30mm ammunition and related equipment, and the other $108 million is for spare and repair parts for vehicles and weapons to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office – Taiwan’s diplomatic outpost in the United States – the State Department said.

“This proposed sale serves US national, economic and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability,” the State Department said.

Washington has long provided arms to the island under the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act, and there is bipartisan support for supplying Taiwan with weapons. However, the move prompted an angry response from Beijing, which views Taiwan as part of China and said it “firmly opposes” military interaction between the US and Taiwan.

“The US should abide by the one China principle and the three joint communiques. It should cease selling weapons to Taiwan, creating tensions and undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday in a regular press briefing.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry thanked the US for the potential sales.

“China’s ever-expanding military and grey zone oppression have posed a severe threat to Taiwan,” the ministry said in a statement. “The US arm sales this time not only helps to build Taiwan’s capacity in responding to China’s military threat, but also strengthens our defense resilience and satisfies our training needs.”

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/30/politics/us-arms-sales-taiwan/index.html

 

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China sends aircraft and vessels toward Taiwan days after U.S. approves $500-million arms sale

Taiwan's defense ministry said in a statement that 32 aircraft from the People’s Liberation Army and nine vessels from the navy were detected.

www.nbcnews.com

China sends aircraft and vessels toward Taiwan days after U.S. approves $500-million arms sale​

Taiwan's defense ministry said in a statement that 32 aircraft from the People’s Liberation Army and nine vessels from the navy were detected.


Aug. 26, 2023, 4:18 AM EDT / Source: The Associated Press
By The Associated Press
Taiwan’s defense ministry said Saturday that China sent dozens of aircraft and vessels toward the island, just days after the United States approved a $500-million arms sale to Taiwan.

The defense ministry said in a statement that 32 aircraft from the People’s Liberation Army and nine vessels from the navy were detected in the 24 hours between 6 a.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Saturday.


Of these, 20 aircraft either crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait or breached Taiwan’s air defense identification zone. In response, Taiwan tasked its own aircraft, vessels and missile systems to respond to the activities, the defense military said.

China sees self-ruled Taiwan as a renegade province to be taken by force if necessary. In the past year, Beijing has stepped up military drills around the island in reaction to Taiwan’s political activities.

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The Chinese military launched drills around Taiwan last week as a “stern warning” after Taiwan’s Vice President William Lai stopped over in the U.S. while on an official trip to Paraguay.

The State Department said Wednesday it had signed off on the sale of infrared search and track systems for F-16 fighter jets and other related equipment to Taiwan worth half a billion dollars.

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said Friday that China opposed the arms sale, calling it a “gross interference” in China’s internal affairs and describing it as a “heinous act” that violates its “One China” principle, as well as three Sino-U.S. joint communiques.

Zhang added that China urged the U.S. to fulfill its commitment of not supporting the independence of Taiwan.