US State Department clears $1.83bn weapons sale to Taiwan

Today, the Administration notified Congress of a $1.83 billion defense arms sales package to Taiwan.

State Department officials said the package includes two frigates, anti-tank missiles, amphibious assault vehicles and Stinger surface-to-air missiles.

The US Congress has 30 days to raise any objections to the sale, otherwise it is considered approved.

State Department spokesman John Kirby said the USA was in contact with both Taiwan and China about the sale, which he said was consistent with US support for Taiwan’s ability to defend itself under the Taiwan Relations Act.

The scale of the arms sales over the past seven years “fully demonstrates the fact that the United States honors by concrete actions its commitment to our security under the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances” given to Taiwan by then-President Ronald Reagan in 1982, MOFA said.

“In order to safeguard the nation’s interests, the Chinese side has chose to take necessary measures, including the imposition of sanctions against companies participating in the arms sale to Taiwan”, Zheng said, according to a statement posted on the ministry’s website.

The massive contract comes at a time of reconciliation between China and Taiwan – separated since 1949 – but also of worries by Washington that Beijing is “militarising” part of the South China Sea.

China summoned the USA charge d’affaires in Beijing, Kaye Lee, to protest and said it would impose sanctions on the companies involved, state news agency Xinhua reported.

The U.S. State Department said Raytheon RTN.N and Lockheed Martin were the main contractors for weapons in the sales authorized on Wednesday.

“The Chinese can react to this as they see fit”, he said.

Beijing, which regards Taiwan as a breakaway territory, said Tuesday it “firmly opposes sales of weapons, military hardware or technology to Taiwan by any country in any form or under any pretext”.

US lawmakers welcomed the announcement.

“All parties should recognize that the harmonious cross-Strait relationship can only be guaranteed through the united opposition of ‘Taiwan independence, ‘ and adherence to the 1992 consensus, which was built around the one-China principle”, Ma said.