The U.S. State Department has authorized a potential $360 million arms sale to Taiwan, which includes drones and missiles, according to the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). This sale aims to bolster Taiwan’s defense capabilities amid increasing military pressure from China.
The approved package features 720 Switchblade 300 loitering munitions, valued at $60.2 million, and up to 291 Altius 600M drones and associated equipment, priced at $300 million. These arms are designed to enhance Taiwan’s asymmetrical warfare strategies, drawing from effective tactics observed in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S. is legally obligated to provide Taiwan with defensive means, despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties. This obligation frequently angers Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its territory and has vowed to “reunify” the island, using force if necessary. Recent months have seen China intensify its military activities around Taiwan, including extensive war games and near-daily warplane flights.
Taiwan’s presidential office expressed gratitude for the U.S.’s continued security commitments, noting that this marks the Biden administration’s 15th arms sale to the island since 2021. The Taiwan defense ministry highlighted the importance of these arms in countering frequent Chinese military operations, stating that the new equipment will enhance real-time detection and response capabilities.
China has sharply criticized U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., condemned the sale as a violation of the one-China principle and existing agreements between China and the U.S. Liu stated that such actions undermine China’s sovereignty and security, harm U.S.-China relations, and destabilize the Taiwan Strait.
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