The U.S. government said Wednesday it has approved the sale of 1 billion worth of advanced-to-air missiles to Taiwan as the island seeks to step up its defense against China.
The
State Department says it has agreed to sell 135 precision-guided, AGM-84H
Salem-ER cruise missiles.
It
also approved the sale of 6 MS 110 air reconnaissance pits and 11 M142 mobile
light rocket launchers, bringing the value of the three weapons packages to $1.8 billion.
A
statement said the Salem-ER missiles would help Taiwan "cope with current
and future threats as it is able to withstand all-weather day and night,
moving and stationary targets at land or sea level." Provides attack
capabilities related to. "
Taiwan's defense ministry said the weapons would "help build credible combat
capabilities and strengthen the development of non-lethal warfare."
The
sale announced on Wednesday did not include the MQ9 Rapper fighter drones,
which Taiwan also reportedly reported.
Democratic
and self-governing Taiwanese advisers are under constant threat from Chinese
invasion, whose leaders see the island as part of their territory.
One
day he vowed to take over the island if need be.
China's
military defense spending is dwarfed’ by Taipei, and while the United States
sells arms to Taiwan, it is not bound by the defense agreement because it is
with Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines.
Beijing
has stepped up diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan since 2016
election of President Suu Kyi, who sees the island as an independent country,
not part of "One China."
The
past year has seen a dramatic increase in attacks by Chinese fighter jets and
bombers on Taiwan's defense zone, while state media has made headlines.
Last
week, Beijing released footage of a military exercise showing missile strikes
and rapid landings in Taiwan-like territory.
The
PLA also recently released a propaganda video mimicking the attack on Taiwan,
which included missile strikes on US military bases in Guam.
Although
Taiwan has been backing away from formal US security guarantees for decades,
Washington has insisted that it strengthen its capabilities to resist the
invasion.
President
Donald Trump's national security adviser, Robert O'Brien, said last week that
"whether there is a landing, a missile strike, a gray zone type (hybrid)
operation, they really need to strengthen themselves."
He
said, "Taiwan needs to start looking at strategies to deny some
disproportionate and inaccessible areas ... and really strengthen itself in
such a way that the Chinese will not take any action against them. Stop such
high-speed attacks or even a gray zone operation. "
The
last three US administrations have been wary of big-ticket arms deals with
Taipei amid fears of Beijing's anger.
President
Trump has rarely criticized such sales, but his "America First"
ideology and his commitment to defending Taiwan have been questioned’ and once
again distrust of Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Has been’ expressed.
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