US approves $2bn in arms sales to Taiwan

Army vehicles patrol outside the Songshan Airport in Taipei as China deployed aircraft and warships around Taiwan on October 14. Pic/AFP

The United States has approved $2 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, including the first-time delivery to the self-ruled island of an advanced surface-to-air missile defence system, in a move sure to anger China.

Taiwan's presidential office on Saturday thanked Washington for greenlighting the potential arms sales. Under the island's new president, Lai Ching-te, Taiwan has been stepping up defence measures as China increased its military threats against the territory it claims as its own. Beijing, last week, held war games encircling Taiwan for the second time since Lai took office in May. The US is Taiwan's strongest unofficial ally and its laws bound it to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself.

"Strengthening Taiwan's self-defence capabilities is the foundation for maintaining regional stability," Taiwan's presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo said. The potential sales package includes three National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and related equipment valued at up to $1.1 billion, according to the US State Department's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. It also includes radar systems worth an estimated $828 million. The Chinese government did not immediately comment on the potential arms sales.

The NASAMS system has been battle-tested in Ukraine and will help to strengthen the Taiwanese army's air defence capabilities, Taiwan's Defence Ministry said.

$1.1bn
Cost of surface-to-air missile systems included in package

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