US announces over $10 bn arms sales package to Taiwan
The US has approved arms sales to Taiwan worth over $10 billion, including HIMARS launchers, ATACMS missiles, howitzers and drones, a move expected to further strain relations with China, which strongly opposes military support to Taipei.
Washington: The Trump administration has announced a massive package of arms sales to Taiwan valued at more than USD 10 billion, including medium-range missiles, howitzers and drones, a move that is sure to infuriate China.
The State Department announced the sales late Wednesday during a nationally televised address by President Donald Trump, who made scant mention of foreign policy issues and did not speak to trade or other issues with China.
The eight arms sales agreements cover 82 high-mobility artillery rocket systems, or HIMARS, and 420 Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS — similar to what the US had been providing Ukraine during the Biden administration to defend itself from Russia — worth more than USD 4 billion.
The sales also include 60 self-propelled howitzer systems and related equipment, also worth more than USD 4 billion, and drones valued at more than USD 1 billion.
Other sales in the package include military software valued at more than USD 1 billion, Javelin and TOW missiles worth more than USD 700 million, helicopter spare parts worth USD 96 million and refurbishment kits for Harpoon missiles worth USD 91 million.
