U.S. angers China by announcing $1.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan
The State Department has approved a potential $1.1 billion sale of U.S. military equipment to Taiwan, with China threatening to take counter measures.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. 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 U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking U.S. official to travel to Taipei in years.
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 jeopardizes China-U.S. 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.
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