Expected US arms sales take more flak

The U.S. supplies armaments “of a defensive nature” to the island under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act in an attempt to balance China’s increasing military might. “We remain committed to our one-China policy”, he added.

Instead of obstructing the development of Taiwan’s relations with China, the latest arms sales will “help maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and increase our confidence as we engage in dialogue and improves relations across the Taiwan Strait, MOFA said in the statement”.

Notably absent from the deal is any mention of assisting Taiwan’s new diesel-electric submarine program (SSK) to replace its two Dutch-built, 1980s vintage 2,600-ton Hai-lang-class SSKs and two World War II era U.S. Guppy-class boats used for training or any movement toward fulfilling Taiwan’s lingering next-generation fighter requirement.

Since then, the relations between China and Taiwan have been strained, as China yet refuses to recognize Taiwan as a separate and independent political and diplomatic entity.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang told the US diplomat that the arms sale harms China’s security interests and that sanctions would be imposed against the USA companies involved, according to a statement on the foreign ministry’s website.

He said the White House was not “overly concerned” about the Chinese reaction, although some short-term disruption in military-to-military contacts was possible.

“U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are guided by the Taiwan Relations Act and based on an assessment of Taiwan’s defense needs”, McKeeby said. “This is nothing new….”

It also includes a collection of Javelin anti-tank missiles; TOW 2B anti-tank missiles; AAV-7 Amphibious Assault Vehicles; follow-on work for Taiwan’s Syun-An C4ISR systems; Link 11/Link 16 for Taiwan’s naval ships; F-16 MIDS/NTAMS/Fuzes; Phalanx Close-In Weapons Systems; and Stinger surface-to-air missiles. “There’s no need for it to have any derogatory effect on our relationship with China”.

The announcement drew strong condemnation from China, which considers Taiwan a renegade province.

The State Department said the frigates were being offered as surplus items at a cost of $190 million. There’s been mounting bipartisan concern that Taiwan is inadequately armed to defend itself against an increasingly powerful mainland China.

“As a matter of policy, the Department of State does not comment on proposed defense sales or transfers until they have been formally notified to Congress”, said State Department spokesman David McKeeby in reply to a CNA question on the arm sales on Tuesday.

Beijing strongly criticized expected United States arms sales to Taiwan, saying they should be canceled to avoid harming relations between Taipei and the mainland.