US Announces Plans to Sell Weapons, Services Worth $1.1 Billion to Taiwan — Pentagon

The US Department of State has authorized the implementation of those contracts in accordance with the national legislation

WASHINGTON, September 3. /TASS/. The United States administration announced three contracts on Friday to sell weapons and technical services to Taiwan worth $1.1 billion in total, the US Department of State and a Pentagon agency have announced.

The first contract, worth $665.4 million, will provide Taiwan with equipment and logistical support for its radar stations. The second one envisages the delivery of 60 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles and four ATM-84L-1 Harpoon Block II missiles worth $355 million. Under the third contract, worth $85.6 million, Taiwan is to receive 100 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder tactical air-to-air missiles.

The US Department of State has authorized the implementation of those contracts in accordance with the national legislation.

The administration has already notified the Congress about the move. The legislative body now has 30 days to examine those agreements and possibly block them.

US arms sales to Taiwan jeopardize US-Chinese relations — embassy

Washington’s move "sends wrong signals to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces, Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said

WASHINGTON, September 3. /TASS/. US plans to sell weapons and services worth $1.1 billion to Taiwan create serious risks for bilateral relations, Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu has told TASS.

"Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. The United States interferes in China's internal affairs and undermines China's sovereignty and security interests by selling arms to the Taiwan region," the Chinese diplomat said.

In his words, Washington’s move "sends wrong signals to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces, and severely jeopardizes China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."

The US decision "runs counter to international law and basic principles in international relations, and violates the one-China principle and provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, especially the August 17 Communique," he added.

The United States administration announced three contracts on Friday to sell weapons and technical services to Taiwan worth $1.1 billion in total, including equipment and logistical support for Taiwan’s radar stations, 60 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles, four ATM-84L-1 Harpoon Block II missiles and 100 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder tactical air-to-air missiles. The administration has already notified the Congress about the move. The legislative body now has 30 days to examine those agreements and give its approval.

Situation around Taiwan

Last month several US delegations visited Taiwan, and that has exacerbated tensions between Beijing and Washington. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to Taiwan on August 2-3, which displeased China and prompted Beijing to start military maneuvers around the island. Several US senators and governors visited Taipei later. China blasted the visits as provocations and interference into its domestic affairs. The The Chinese troops also held large-scale military maneuvers with missile firings in six maritime areas around Taiwan.

Taiwan has been governed by its own administration since 1949, when the remnants of the Kuomintang forces under Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled to the island after being defeated in the Chinese civil war. Taipei has since retained the flag and some other attributes of the former Republic of China, which had existed on the mainland before the Communists came to power. According to Beijing’s official position, supported by most countries, including Russia, the island is one of China’s provinces.