The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday.
The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release.
Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support,” the statement said.
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
“The sale is consistent with US law and policy as expressed in Public Law 96-8,” the release said, referring to the Taiwan Relations Act.
The US Congress, which is expected to approve the sale, has already been notified, the agency said.
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs thanked the US government for “upholding Taiwan’s safety in accordance to the Taiwan Relations Act and the ‘six assurances.’”
The Ministry of National Defense also expressed its gratitude for the approved purchase.
“The Chinese Communist Party’s normalization of gray zone intrusions are putting pressure on training space and reaction times in Taiwanese waters and airspace,” the defense ministry said in a statement.
The aviation-related goods and services “will help maintain the combat readiness and safety of various types of aircraft equipment of our air force,” it added.
It is the 16th time that US President Joe Biden’s administration has authorized the sale of military goods and services to Taiwan, the defense ministry said.
Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said in a statement that the sale reflects the importance placed by the Biden administration on peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and the continued implementation of US security commitments to Taiwan.
The Presidential Office backed up the defense ministry’s comment by saying that the sale would help maintain the combat readiness of the air force to deal with “normalized gray zone intrusions” by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Meanwhile, a US Navy aircraft flew through the Taiwan Strait yesterday in what the US called a show of commitment to free and open international airspace, prompting China to scramble fighters.
“By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations,” the US 7th Fleet said of the P-8A Poseidon’s flight.
The Eastern Theater Command of the PLA said jets were scrambled to monitor and “alert” the US aircraft.
Last week, two German navy ships sailed through the Taiwan Strait in the first such transit in two decades in a show of Berlin’s resolve to stand with Western allies over Taiwan.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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