US gives green light to sell $500m worth of weapons systems to Taiwan

The sale weapon systems worth 500 million dollars in Taiwan approved on Wednesday (23/8) by the government of USA. The goal is for the island’s F-16 fighter jets to be able to spot enemy aircraft thanks to their infrared tracking.

The Pentagon’s DSCA said in a press release that the package includes electro-optical recognition and tracking (IRST) systems and related equipment, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, for Taiwan’s F-16s.

“The proposed sale will improve the island’s Air Force capabilities to ‘address current and future threats’to defend its airspace, provide security in the region, while “increasing interoperability” with the US, the statement explained.

In the text of the DSCA, as reported by the Athens News Agency, it is also emphasized that the proposed sale “does not change” the basic military balance of forces in the region.

In Taipei, the Ministry of National Defense expressed gratitude for the approval of the sale agreement, clarifying that the sale is expected to go ahead about a month after the US Congress has been notified.

These systems will be used to “maintain regional stability“, the ministry added via X (the former Twitter).

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s office said in a press release that this is the 11th arms package to be approved after Democratic President Joe Biden takes office in 2021. In the announcement, Ms. Tsai thanked Washington for their “commitment” to “Taiwan’s security.”

The deal is expected to anger Beijing.

China considers the island its province, destined to one day be reunited with the mainland, without ruling out the use of force. Taiwan’s current government rejects the Chinese position.

Washington is Taipei’s main arms supplier and the main protectorate of the island, although it officially does not have diplomatic relations with it, but with Beijing, like most countries in the world. However, it is legally bound to bolster Taiwan’s defense capabilities under a 1979 law.