US approves potential $1.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan

GBNEWS24DESK//

The US State Department has approved a potential $1.1 billion sale of military equipment to Taiwan, including 60 anti-ship missiles and 100 air-to-air missiles, with China threatening to take counter-measures.

The Pentagon announced the package on Friday in the wake of China’s aggressive military drills around Taiwan following a visit to the island last month by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking US official to travel to Taipei in years, reports Reuters.

The sale includes Sidewinder missiles, which can be used for air-to-air and surface-attack missions, at a cost of some $85.6 million, Harpoon anti-ship missiles at an estimated $355 million cost and support for Taiwan’s surveillance radar program for an estimated $665.4 million, the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said.

Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said in a statement the possible arms sale “severely jeopardises China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

“China will resolutely take legitimate and necessary counter-measures in light of the development of the situation,” he said.

President Joe Biden’s administration said the package has been under consideration for some time and was developed in consultation with Taiwan and US lawmakers.