A US government spokesperson yesterday refused to confirm a Reuters report that Taiwan is planning a multibillion-dollar weapons purchase from the US to appease the US President Donald Trump administration.
Reuters cited three anonymous sources as saying that Taipei is in talks with Washington over an arms deal worth an estimated US$7 billion to US$10 billion.
Photo: Yimou Lee, Reuters
"The package is meant to demonstrate to the US that Taiwan is committed to its defense," Reuters cited one of the sources as saying.
Asked to comment, the US Department of State said that, as is longstanding practice, Washington does not make any comment until a deal is formalized.
"Consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States will continue to enable Taiwan's self-defense capabilities. As a matter of policy, we are unable to comment on or confirm potential or pending arms transfers before they are formally notified to Congress," the spokesperson said in an e-mail.
Based on a list of steps provided by the Ministry of National Defense (MND), Taiwan first requests to purchase weapons from the US.
Washington then sends a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) with more details after the green light is given.
Taipei reviews the offer and completes a procurement proposal before sending the LOA back to Washington.
Various US government branches then review the proposal before the US government notifies Congress of the sale.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency under the US Department of Defense subsequently makes the deal public.
According to the Reuters report, the deal could include coastal defense cruise missiles and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, a source was cited as saying.
Taiwan is planning a special budget focused on precision ammunition, air-defense upgrades, command and control systems, reserve force equipment and anti-drone technology, another source told Reuters.
The MND also did not comment on the report.
TRAFFIC SAFETY RULES: A positive result in a drug test would result in a two-year license suspension for the driver and vehicle, and a fine of up to NT$180,000 The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to authorize police to conduct roadside saliva tests by the end of the year to deter people from driving while under the influence of narcotics, it said yesterday. The ministry last month unveiled a draft of amended regulations governing traffic safety rules and penalties, which included provisions empowering police to conduct mandatory saliva tests on drivers. While currently rules authorize police to use oral fluid testing kits for signs of drug use, they do not establish penalties for noncompliance or operating procedures for officers to follow, the ministry said. The proposed changes to the regulations require
The Executive Yuan yesterday announced that registration for a one-time universal NT$10,000 cash handout to help people in Taiwan survive US tariffs and inflation would start on Nov. 5, with payouts available as early as Nov. 12. Who is eligible for the handout? Registered Taiwanese nationals are eligible, including those born in Taiwan before April 30 next year with a birth certificate. Non-registered nationals with residence permits, foreign permanent residents and foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens with residence permits also qualify for the handouts. For people who meet the eligibility requirements, but passed away between yesterday and April 30 next year, surviving family members
Taiwanese officials are courting podcasters and influencers aligned with US President Donald Trump as they grow more worried the US leader could undermine Taiwanese interests in talks with China, people familiar with the matter said. Trump has said Taiwan would likely be on the agenda when he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) next week in a bid to resolve persistent trade tensions. China has asked the White House to officially declare it “opposes” Taiwanese independence, Bloomberg reported last month, a concession that would mark a major diplomatic win for Beijing. President William Lai (賴清德) and his top officials
The German city of Hamburg on Oct. 14 named a bridge “Kaohsiung-Brucke” after the Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung. The footbridge, formerly known as F566, is to the east of the Speicherstadt, the world’s largest warehouse district, and connects the Dar-es-Salaam-Platz to the Brooktorpromenade near the Port of Hamburg on the Elbe River. Timo Fischer, a Free Democratic Party member of the Hamburg-Mitte District Assembly, in May last year proposed the name change with support from members of the Social Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Union. Kaohsiung and Hamburg in 1999 inked a sister city agreement, but despite more than a quarter-century of
RSS