Even as China has been stepping up the military pressure against Taiwan by holding large-scale military drills around the island, the US has approved a potential $2 billion arms sale package to Taiwan.
In recent years, China has intensified military drills, in a bid to reassert its claim over the self-governed Taiwan. A few days ago, China launched another round of military drills, dubbed Joint Sword 2024A, involving the People’s Liberation Army Navy, PLA Air Force, PLA Rocket Force and China Coast Guard, stimulating a blockade of Taiwan.
Taiwan Relations Act
The US is bound by law to offer weapons to Taiwan to defend itself under the Taiwan Relations Act. The Act states that "the United States shall provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character and shall maintain the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or social or economic system, of the people of Taiwan."
"...the United States will make available to Taiwan such defense articles and defense services in such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability," it further reads.
The sale package
The $2 billion arms sale package includes an advanced air defense missile system that was battle tested in Ukraine.
According to the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the new sale consisted of $1.16 billion in missile systems and radar systems worth about $828 million.
"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," a statement from the Pentagon read.
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The missile system sale is for three National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) medium-range air defense solutions that include the advanced AMRAAM Extended Range surface-to-air missiles.
The proposed sale is expected to help improve the security of Taiwan and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region, the Pentagon said.
Taiwan, which has been enhancing its armaments to be able to better face an attack from China, said the deal will help bolster its air defense capabilities in the face of China's frequent military maneuvers.