US Approves Arms Sales to Taiwan

The State Department approved about $1.8 billion in military sales to Taiwan, drawing criticism from China, which threatened retaliation if the sales are not revoked. The sales, announced Oct. 21, include more than $1 billion worth of Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response missiles, an estimated $367 million for MS-110 Recce Pods and about $436 million for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems M142 Launchers. The contractors are Boeing, Collins Aerospace and Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control, respectively.

China’s Foreign Ministry said the move “severely undermines” U.S.-China relations and urged the U.S. to cancel the sales. “China will make a legitimate and necessary reaction in the light of the development of the situation,” a ministry spokesperson said Oct. 22. China in July said it planned to sanction Lockheed Martin for a previous $620 million arms sale to Taiwan (see 2007140018).

Taiwan thanked the U.S. for approving the sales, which will help it establish “solid national defense capabilities,” Taiwan’s presidential office said Oct. 22. The office also said Taiwan will “continue to deepen its cooperative partnerships with the United States and other like-minded countries around the world.”