President Biden’s administration on Tuesday approved the sale of $360 million worth of drones, missiles and other military equipment to Taiwan.
The sale comes amid rising tensions between the United States and China, which has previously criticized Western support for Taiwan but has yet to publicly comment on this week’s sale.
The sale includes 291 Altius 600M systems, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) that can carry warheads, as well as 720 Switchblade drones, known as “long-range loitering munitions,” according to the State Department.
The Biden administration argued the sale “serves U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient nation’s ongoing efforts to modernize its military forces and maintain a credible defense capability.”
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President Biden’s administration on Tuesday approved the sale of $360 million worth of drones, missiles and other military equipment to Taiwan. (Taiwan Presidential Office via Associated Press)
The defence ministry added that the sale would “help enhance the security of the recipient countries and contribute to maintaining political stability, military balance and economic development in the region.”
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Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te thanked the U.S. for the sale at a news conference on Wednesday and vowed to “continue to strengthen Taiwan’s national defense.”
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te (right) thanked the U.S. for the sale at a press conference on Wednesday and vowed to “continue to strengthen Taiwan’s national defense.” (Reuters/Ann Wang)
The sale comes after months of the Biden administration attempting to ease tensions with Beijing.
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Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in person in California late last year, after the two had not spoken for a year, and Biden said there had been “real progress” in U.S.-China relations.
President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in person in California late last year. Though the two had not spoken for a full year prior to the meeting, Biden said there had been “real progress” in U.S.-China relations.
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The Xi administration has long vowed to reunite Taiwan with mainland China, by force if necessary, after it separated from Beijing in 1949 as a refuge for democrats who lost a civil war against the Chinese Communist Party.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
