US approves $100m sale for missile upgrades to Taiwan

The flags of Taiwan and the United States are placed for a meeting in Taipei, Taiwan March 27, 2018. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo

WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) – The United States has approved a possible $100 million sale of equipment and services to Taiwan to “support, maintain and improve” its Patriot missile defense system, the Pentagon said on Monday. , drawing a furious threat of retaliation from Beijing.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own, regularly opposes US arms sales, adding to existing Sino-US tensions.

A statement from the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said it issued the required certification notifying Congress after State Department approval for the sale, which was requested by the Embassy de facto from Taiwan to Washington.

Upgrades to the Patriot air defense system “would help improve recipient security and help maintain political stability, military, economic balance and progress in the region,” the DSCA said in a statement.

“This sale proposal serves the national, economic, and security interests of the United States by supporting the recipient’s continued efforts to modernize its armed forces and maintain a credible defensive capability,” the agency said.

The main contractors would be Raytheon Technologies (RTX.N) and Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), he said.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry said it “strongly welcomes” the decision.

“In the face of China’s continued military expansion and provocative actions, our country will maintain national security with strong defense and continue to deepen the close security partnership between Taiwan and the United States,” he said. in a press release.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian issued a strong condemnation.

“China will take appropriate and vigorous measures to firmly safeguard its sovereignty and security interests,” he told reporters.

Asked what measures China would take, Zhao replied, “I want to ask everyone to wait and see.”

China has imposed sanctions on Lockheed Martin and other US companies in the past for selling weapons to Taiwan, although the form of the sanctions is unclear.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said the decision to get new Patriot missiles was made during a 2019 meeting with US officials from President Donald Trump’s administration. Read more

The ministry said the deal was to “go into effect” within a month.

The democratically-ruled island has complained about repeated Chinese air force missions into its air defense zone, part of what Washington sees as Beijing’s effort to pressure Taipei to he accepts his sovereignty.

The United States, like most countries, has no official relations with Taiwan, but Washington is its biggest supporter and is bound by law to provide it with the means to defend itself.

US officials have pushed Taiwan to modernize its military so that it can become a “porcupine”, which is difficult for China to attack.

China’s ambassador to the United States said last month that the two superpowers could end up in a military conflict if Washington pushes for Taiwan independence. Read more

Reporting by Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei and Martin Pollard in Beijing; Editing by David Gregorio, Leslie Adler and Louise Heavens

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