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The US State Department has approved another arms sale to Taiwan, defying China’s recent plea for the US to uphold the “One China” policy.
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The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has announced the approval of a $600 million arms sale to Taiwan involving General Atomic Aeronautical Systems.
Taiwan has placed an order for:
- four weapons-ready MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft;
- two Fixed Ground Control Stations;
- two (2) Mobile Ground Control Stations; and
- 14 Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigations Systems (EGI) with Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM).
The deal also includes targeting systems, patrol radars and surveillance systems.
“This proposed sale serves US national, economic and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability,” the DSCA noted in a statement.
“The proposed sale will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, economic and progress in the region.”
The DSCA added that the sale would improve Taiwan’s capability to “meet current and future threats” by providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; target acquisition; and counter-land, counter-sea and anti-submarine strike capabilities for its security and defence.
“The capability is a deterrent to regional threats and will strengthen the recipient’s self-defence,” the DSCA continued.
“The recipient will have no difficulty absorbing these systems into its armed forces.”
The agency stressed that the proposed sale would not “alter the basic military balance in the region”.
This comes less than a week after China announced sanctions against Lockheed Martin; Boeing Defense, Space & Security; and Raytheon Technologies, as well as other US individuals and entities involved in the sale of $1.8 billion in arms to Taiwan.
“As China pointed out on multiple occasions, the US arms sales to the Taiwan region severely violate the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, and seriously undermine China’s sovereignty and security interests,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, said in response to the sales.
“China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it.”
The spokesman continued, “Once again, we urge the United States to strictly fulfill its commitment to the one-China principle and observe the three China-US joint communiqués, and stop selling weapons to Taiwan or having any military ties with it.
“We will continue taking necessary measures to safeguard national sovereignty and security interests.”
[Related: China to impose sanctions on US primes]
