US approves $100 billion arms deal with Taiwan

The United States has approved a deal with Taiwan to sell equipment and services to improve its missile defense system, the Pentagon said. The arms deal is said to be worth about $100 million ($87.4 million). China calls it a serious undermining of national security. According to a government spokesperson, the country will “take strong measures to defend the interests of its own security”.

According to the responsible agency within the US Department of Defense, a modernization of the defense system would improve Taiwan’s security and “contribute to political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region”. The deal furthers US economic and security interests, the agency says.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes US approval of the deal. “While we face China’s ongoing military expansion and provocations, this will help our country maintain national security with a strong defense,” the ministry said in a statement.

Apostate Province

The deal was initiated in 2019 during Donald Trump’s presidency and is expected to be completed within a month.

Democratically governed Taiwan is seen by China as a renegade province. The People’s Communist Republic is trying to diplomatically isolate the island. Chinese leaders do not want other countries to treat Taiwan as an independent state.

The US has been supplying weapons to the East Asian island nation for years. In January, China’s ambassador to Washington said the two superpowers could become embroiled in military conflict if Washington encouraged Taiwan’s independence.