Taiwan’s Latest US Arms Deal ‘Bolsters’ Self-Defense Capabilities

Taiwanese sailors salute the island's flag on the deck of the Panshih supply ship after taking part in annual drills, at the Tsoying naval base in Kaohsiung on Jan. 31, 2018. (Mandy Cheng/AFP via Getty Images)

The Taiwanese government on Thursday welcomed its third arms deal this year with the United States.

Taiwan’s Presidential Office spokesperson Xavier Chang said the deal involves the purchase of naval equipment and related technical assistance worth $120 million.

Chang’s statement was in response to the U.S. government on Wednesday announcing that it had notified Congress of the arms sale.

The sale is the Biden administration’s fourth to Taiwan since taking office and its third this year, he added.

Chang said the U.S. approval of the arms sale demonstrated that Washington is placing “great importance” on Taiwan’s national defense needs.

“[The deal] once again demonstrates that the robust cooperative partnership between Taiwan and the U.S. is helping bolster Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities,” he said.

“Taiwan will keep enhancing cooperation with like-minded countries in order to uphold peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region, jointly strengthening global democratic resilience,” he said.

Notifying Congress

The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DCSA) submitted a required certification notifying Congress of the proposed sale at the request of the Taipei Economic Cultural Representative Office in Washington.

“The proposed sale will contribute to the sustainment of the recipient’s surface vessel fleet, enhancing its ability to meet current and future threats,” the DCSA said, adding that Taiwan will be able to increase its interoperability with the U.S. and other allies.

The naval equipment will be sourced from authorized U.S. Navy vendors and stock. The DCSA stated that there is no prime contractor and no known offset agreements for the proposed arms deal.

China opposes U.S.-Taiwan arms deals claiming they violated the “One China” policy and the China-U.S. joint communique provisions.

Cross-strait tensions have been escalating in recent months, with China making its second-largest incursion into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone on May 30 with 30 PLA warplanes.

An H-6 bomber of the Chinese army flies near a Taiwan F-16 on Feb. 10, 2020. (Taiwan Ministry of National Defense/Handout via Reuters)

The Biden administration has stated that Washington remains committed to the “One China” policy, but added that the U.S. would still provide Taiwan with the capabilities necessary to maintain its own defense.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) claims that Taiwan is a breakaway province that must be united with the mainland, although Taiwan has been self-governed since 1949 and has never been under CCP control.

While Taiwan does not have a mutual defense agreement with the United States, the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act does guarantee that the United States will furnish Taiwan with the capabilities necessary to maintain its own defense.

Andrew Thornebrooke contributed to this report.