TAIPEI (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of $428 million in aircraft parts for Taiwan to assist its air force, which is strained from repeatedly intercepting Chinese jets operating near the island.
Taiwan’s air force is well-equipped but ageing, and is dwarfed by that of China’s. Beijing views the democratically governed island as its territory and in the course of the past three years or so has been flying every day sorties near Taiwan.
Since early August, when China staged war games around Taiwan after the visit to Taipei by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China’s air force has also usually crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which had served as an unofficial boundary.
The Pentagon, in two statements late Tuesday, said the parts would support Taiwan’s F-16s, Indigenous Defence Fighter jets and all other aircraft and systems or subsystems of U.S. origin.
“The proposed sale will contribute to the sustainment of the recipient’s aerial fleet, enhancing its ability to satisfy current and future threats while providing defensive and transport capabilities critical to regional security,” it said.
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Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said on Wednesday the sale was expected to “take effect” inside one month, and offered its thanks.
With China attempting to “normalise” its military activities near Taiwan and put pressure on its airspace and seas in addition to ability to coach and response, the sale can be of great assistance, the ministry added.
It is going to “help maintain the right equipment and replenishment of our air force’s fighter jets, meet the needs of defence operations and combat readiness training, and make sure that our traditional combat power is not going to fall”, the statement said.
America is Taiwan’s most significant international arms supplier, despite the dearth of formal diplomatic ties.
China has repeatedly demanded the USA stop selling weapons to Taiwan and has put sanctions on U.S. arms manufacturers.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei and Costas Pitas in Los Angeles; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Gerry Doyle)
Copyright 2022 Thomson Reuters.
