The State Department on Wednesday announced more than $11 billion in potential weapons sales to Taiwan, including rocket systems, howitzers and drones, drawing condemnation from China.
Karen Kuo, a spokesperson for Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, said in a statement the president’s office is “sincerely grateful to the US government for once again demonstrating that it continues to fulfill its security commitments” to Taiwan.
Taiwan’s National Defense Ministry said funds for the purchase would be drawn from a special defense budget focused on increasing Taiwan’s asymmetric warfare capabilities, which is yet to pass its legislature, and that it would sign the purchase letters of offer if the budget is approved.
A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry at a news conference said the plan seriously undermines China’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, and damages peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, state-owned Xinhua News Agency reported.
The spokesperson added that the move sent the wrong signal to what it called Taiwan’s separatist forces, and said China strongly opposes and condemns the sale.
The State Department and White House did not immediately respond to overnight requests for comment.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, part of the Department of Defense, said it had notified Congress of the sales, triggering the beginning of a 30-day period before the transactions can proceed.
The State Department approved potential sales of an estimated $4.05 billion in 82 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and related equipment; $4.03 billion in 60 self-propelled howitzers and related equipment, $1.1 billion in ALTIUS-700M and ALTIUS-600 drone systems; $1.01 billion in tactical weapons network software including unmanned aerial systems; $819 million for two missile systems and related equipment and separate missile system repair support, and $96 million in helicopter parts.
The deal “serves U.S. national, economic, and security interests” and would “improve the recipient’s capability to meet current and future threats,” the statements announcing the potential sales said.
In November, the U.S. approved $1.3 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, including $330 million in parts for F-16 fighter jets and other aircraft and $700 million for NASAMS medium-range air-defense missile systems.
Lai, that month, said he planned to spend $40 billion on the supplementary defense budget in response to China’s unprecedented military buildup. Beijing has dramatically increased its aggression toward Taiwan, a self-governing democratic island and U.S. partner that China considers part of its territory, in recent years.
“Taiwan must not become a weak point in regional security,” Lai said at a news conference then. “Among all the possible scenarios for China’s annexation of Taiwan, the biggest threat is not force — it is our own surrender,” he said.
Christian Shepherd contributed to this report.
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