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The United States is preparing to sell seven packages of weapons systems to Taiwan, a congressional aide told CNN, saying it was unclear when Congress would be formally notified of the sales, as required by law.
A US official said the administration will soon formally approve a large sale of Reaper MQ-9B drones. The value of the drones and associated equipment and support for the program is estimated at about $ 600 million.
Two sources told CNN that the sale includes anti-ship missiles.
“As a matter of policy, we do not comment on or confirm the proposed defense sales or transfers until they have been formally notified to Congress,” said a State Department spokesman.
The Pentagon declined to comment on the proposed sale.
Washington has long provided weapons to the island under the terms of the 40-year-old Taiwan Relations Act.
Beijing has frequently been irritated by such sales, calling them a violation of China’s sovereignty. The country’s communist government views Taiwan as part of its territory, although the two have been ruled separately since the end of a bloody civil war in 1949.
But there has been an increase in arms sales to Taiwan during the Trump administration as the United States has grown closer to the country.
The Trump administration previously approved several major arms sales to Taiwan valued at more than $ 13 billion in total, including dozens of F-16 fighter jets, M1A2T Abrams tanks, Stinger portable anti-aircraft missiles, and MK-48 Mod6 torpedoes.
“I would like to thank the United States government for supporting the enhancement of Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities. In the past four years, the Trump administration has approved seven arms sales packages to Taiwan for a total of $ 13,200. million. Looking ahead, we will develop and strengthen indigenous defense and asymmetric warfare capabilities, “Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said Tuesday during a virtual address at the Global Taiwan Institute’s Annual Symposium in Washington.
“Confronted with the Chinese communist regime, Taiwan is in the first line of defending democracies,” Wu added.
A congressional aide said that “arms sales to Taiwan are not provocations, but a response to the growing belligerence of the (Chinese Communist Party).
Another high-profile visit to the US
There have also been several high-profile diplomatic visits by members of the Trump administration to Taipei, including Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, the highest-ranking cabinet official to visit the island in decades.
On Wednesday, the State Department announced that Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and Environment Keith Krach will travel to Taiwan to attend the memorial service for former President Lee Teng-hui on Saturday.
Krach will be the highest-ranking State Department official to visit Taiwan in years.
China’s leader, President Xi Jinping, has been said to aim to “reunify” the island with the mainland, and has refused to rule out the use of force, despite the fact that the ruling Chinese Communist Party has never controlled Taiwan. .
Taiwanese officials have accused China of intensifying military activity near Taiwan in an effort to pressure Taipei, including the flight of Chinese fighter jets across the unofficial border that divides the Taiwan Strait during Azar’s visit to Taipei. .
Taiwan is increasing its defense spending as part of an effort to counter the threat from Beijing.
In 2019, Taiwan’s defense budget was $ 10.9 billion compared to an official Chinese defense budget of $ 174 billion.
The United States has long sought for Taiwan to invest in systems that would give it an asymmetric advantage over an invading Chinese force as opposed to more conventional systems like battle tanks that can be more easily attacked in an initial offensive salvo.
And while the Trump administration has pushed to boost arms sales to Taiwan, it is unclear whether that policy would continue if former Vice President Joe Biden were to win the November election.
The Obama administration also sold weapons to Taiwan, but was reluctant to sell some systems, including upgraded F-16 fighters, a sale the Trump administration approved.
