The Presidential Office yesterday thanked Washington after the US Department of State approved the sale of 40 Paladin M109A6 self-propelled howitzers and related equipment to Taiwan, the first such deal since US President Joe Biden took office in January.
With the sale, the US is honoring its commitment to furnish Taiwan with defensive articles under the US’ Taiwan Relations Act and the “six assurances,” Presidential Office spokesperson Xavier Chang (張惇涵) said while expressing the government’s “sincere gratitude” for the deal.
The US Department of Defense’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement that it notified Congress on Wednesday of the US$750 million deal.
Photo: AFP
In addition to logistical support, the package includes 40 155mm M109A6 medium self-propelled howitzer systems; 20 M992A2 field artillery ammunition support vehicles; an advanced field artillery tactical data system; five M88A2 Hercules vehicles; five M2 Chrysler mount .50 caliber machine guns; and 1,698 multi-option precision guidance kits, the agency said.
The sale would “contribute to the modernization of the recipient’s self-propelled howitzer fleet, enhancing its ability to meet current and future threats ... while further enhancing interoperability with the United States and other allies,” it said.
The package marks the first US arms sale to Taiwan under the Biden administration, “fully demonstrating the US government’s high regard for Taiwan’s defense capabilities,” Chang said.
Washington’s provision of defensive arms helps boost Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities, thereby improving the nation’s ability and confidence to preserve regional and cross-strait peace, he said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday confirmed receipt of official notice from Washington about the package.
The US has continued its policy of normalizing arms sales to Taiwan in recent years, helping the nation to acquire defensive equipment in a timely manner, the ministry said.
Despite Chinese aggression, Taiwan would continue to improve its defensive capabilities to safeguard the lives and property of Taiwanese, and their democratic way of life, it said.
Through close cooperation with the US, the nation would maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait and keep contributing to the long-term peace, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region, it said.
The package is likely to be formally confirmed by Congress after a month, the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement, thanking Washington for the agreement that would help “enhance the rapid response and fire support capabilities of our ground forces.”
Separately, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has lodged stern representations with the US while promising to take appropriate countermeasures.
The agreement interferes in internal Chinese affairs and “sends a wrong message to Taiwan independence secessionist forces” in contravention of international law and norms, it said.
The Chinese ministry also urged Washington to abide by the “one China” principle and the Three Joint Communiques, and to immediately cease all military cooperation with Taiwan to “avoid further damaging China-US relations, and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”
REACHING OUT: President Tsai expressed condolences to the deceased man’s family and wished a speedy recovery to those who were wounded in the shooting The Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) on Monday called on the US to label organizations associated with the suspect in the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church shooting as domestic terrorists, following accusations that he was a member of a group backing unification with ties to the Chinese government. David Wenwei Chou (周文偉), 68, was arrested on Sunday and is being held in lieu of US$1 million bail at the Orange County Intake Release Center over a mass shooting at the California church that left one dead and five wounded. Local police suspect the shooting was politically motivated after they found notes in
NO CONSENSUS YET: Local governments and the CECC have agreed to change the ‘3+4’ self-isolation policy, but are still mulling what to replace it with The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) and local governments have agreed to ease restrictions on close contacts of COVID-19 cases, although the details are still being discussed, the center said yesterday. The discussions follow Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) on Saturday approving a proposal to shorten the “3+4” policy — three days of home isolation followed by four days of self-disease prevention — for close contacts who have received booster doses. “We did not reach a consensus on how to revise the current restrictions, but we all agreed that the administrative burden must be reduced and the intensity of restrictions must be eased,
OPPOSING CHINESE ‘HOSTILITY’: The bill orders the state secretary to create a plan to regain observer status for Taiwan, saying Taipei is a model contributor to world health US President Joe Biden on Friday signed a bill into law to help Taiwan regain observer status at the World Health Assembly (WHA), demonstrating Washington’s support for Taiwan’s international participation. Friday was the deadline for Biden to sign the bill (S.812), which directs “the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to regain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization (WHO), and for other purposes.” The 75th WHA, the decisionmaking body of the WHO, is scheduled to meet in Geneva, Switzerland, from Sunday next week to May 28. The bill, introduced by US Senator Bob Menendez, chairman of the US Senate
LIVING WITH COVID-19: Close contacts with a booster shot would no longer follow the ‘3+4’ policy, instead practicing ‘0+7,’ or self-disease prevention for seven days Close contacts of COVID-19 cases who have received a booster shot no longer need to isolate at home, but should practice seven days of “self-disease prevention,” effective today, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday. Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said that starting at 12am today, close contacts — people living in the same household — of those confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 are exempt from home isolation if they have received a booster shot of a COVID-19 vaccine. Data from other countries show that people who have received a booster shot are