The Pentagon said on Wednesday that the US State Department had approved $619 million in arms sales to Taiwan.
It added that the principal contractors in this deal are Raytheon Technologies and Lockheed Martin, both of which have been sanctioned by China on account of selling arms to Taiwan.
The Arms Sale
On Wednesday, Taiwan’s Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said the sale included “F-16 munitions and related equipment.”
We sincerely thank the US government for approving the latest USD $619 million arms sale to Taiwan, including AGM-88B & AIM-120C missiles. Our cooperation contributes to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the region. #StrongerTogether #RockSolid
— Taiwan in the US (@TECRO_USA) March 2, 2023
Apart from hundreds of missiles, the deal also includes “test support and equipment; munitions support and support equipment; spare parts, consumables and accessories and repair and return support; classified software [...] and other related elements of logistical and program support.”
Impact on Taiwan
The DSCA said that the proposed sale serves US “national, economic, and security interests,” as it supports Taiwan’s “continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability.” It added that the sale will “help improve” Taiwan’s security and “assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region.”
The sale is also expected to contribute towards the island country’s “capability to provide for the defence of its airspace, regional security, and interoperability” with the US.
This presents real risks of conflict that may lead to real consequences.
— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) February 27, 2023
The DSCA stated that Taiwan will have “no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces,” and that the equipment “will not alter the basic military balance in the region.”
Taiwan’s defence ministry said the missiles would help “effectively defend the airspace to deal with threats and provocations from the Communist military” and bolster the island’s defence stockpiles.
Tense US-China Relations
The latest sale will likely escalate tension between the US and China, which claims Taiwan to be part of its territory.
In multiple instances in the past, China has urged the US to stop approving arms sales to the island, as it views them as unwarranted international support for the island claiming independence from China.