Among other things, the United States wants to supply Taiwan with Harpoon air-to-sea missiles worth $355 million.
(Photo: Reuters)
Washington In the US, military aid to Taiwan, which is under Chinese pressure, is taking shape. The US State Department on Friday (local time) approved the delivery of military equipment worth $1.1 billion, including 60 anti-ship missiles and 100 anti-aircraft missiles.
The deal includes Harpoon air-to-air missiles worth $355 million and Sidewinder air-to-air missiles worth $85 million, the State Department said on Friday.
Taiwan is spending most of the money on a $655 million radar program that provides warnings for air defense. Such early warning systems have gained importance since China stepped up maneuvers around Taiwan.
At the beginning of August, China reacted to the visit of the President of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, to Taiwan with a large-scale military maneuver. In return, the USA allowed two cruisers to pass through the straits in front of the island. China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to regain control of the island.
Top jobs of the day
Find the best jobs now and
be notified by email.
“As the People’s Republic of China increases pressure on Taiwan (…) and seeks to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, we provide Taiwan with what it needs to maintain its self-defense capabilities,” said the China representative and Taiwan Assistant Secretary at the White House, Laura Rosenberger. The approval of the US Congress on arms exports is considered certain.
Biden announces summit with island nation officials
The government also said the deal is consistent with the United States’ One China policy. She called on Beijing to stop military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan and instead start a dialogue with Taiwan.
>> Read here: New China strategy: How Germany wants to free itself from its dependence on its most important trading partner
Chinese Embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu warned that the planned aid would seriously jeopardize bilateral relations and stability in the region. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden, struggling for influence in the Pacific region, has canceled a summit with representatives of island states for the end of September.
The US government has invited twelve states to the island summit in Washington. This includes the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. The archipelago signed a security agreement with China last April, fueling concerns in the US about China’s growing influence.
The summit is intended to “expand and deepen cooperation between the United States on important issues such as climate change, combating pandemics, economic recovery, safety at sea, environmental protection and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said the US government.
More: Concern about research espionage: CDU calls for Chinese Confucius Institutes