US military equipment worth over USD 1.1 billion, including Harpoon and Sidewinder missiles, will be sold to Taiwan, the country stated on Friday. Taiwan’s purchase of military hardware has received Washington’s approval, the Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DCSA) acknowledged in a number of statements.
According to DSCA, the sale of Harpoon Block II Missiles and associated equipment to Taiwan for an estimated USD 355 million was approved by the US State Department in order to enhance the island’s defence capabilities and advance US security interests.
The state department also approved the sale of Block II Sidewinder Missiles and associated equipment for an estimated USD 85.6 million, as per DSCA.
The probable sale of USD 665.4 million in Surveillance Radar Programme support and equipment was also approved, DCSA stated.
The core military balance in the area won’t be changed by the proposed sales, according to DCSA. The potential sales coincide with rising hostilities between Washington and Beijing over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s divisive trip to Taiwan.
Boeing produces Harpoons, which are anti-ship homing missiles with littoral water capabilities. The purchase of 60 of the missiles and associated hardware was sought by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO).
Raytheon created air-to-air missiles called Sidewinders that can lock on to targets after being launched. TECRO made a request to purchase 100 of the missiles and associated hardware.
In order to enhance the situational awareness and threat warning capabilities of the island, TECRO also asked to purchase Contractor Logistics Support for their Surveillance Radar Program, according to DCSA. The sale’s major contractor would be Raytheon.
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After hearing about the potential sales earlier this week, the Chinese Embassy in Washington urged the Biden administration to immediately stop selling arms to Taiwan.
According to a representative for the Chinese embassy, arms shipments run the risk of undermining China’s sovereignty and security interests and escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
The Taiwanese military had on Thursday downed an unidentified civilian drone that had violated its airspace over Shiyu Island’s restricted waters early in the morning. Shiyu Island is located just off the coast of China.
According to a statement issued by Taiwan’s defence ministry, “The Jinmen Defence Command of the Army revealed that about 12:30 p.m. today (1), an unidentified civilian aerial camera was observed to infiltrate the airspace over the restricted waters of Shiyu Island.”
The statement read, “The ministry of defence will continue to search, monitor, and closely monitor to preserve the security of the defence region.”
A similar incident involving a Chinese military drone entering “restricted” air space over an island under Taiwanese sovereignty and being shot at by the Taiwanese military was reported on Tuesday.
In light of the current high cross-strait tensions, China opposes the sale of armaments to Taiwan worth USD 1.1 billion. The Chinese embassy in Washington informed Sputnik that China will take the necessary counter-measures.
Since about the middle of August, several civilian drones have been seen circling the little island of Kinmen, which is 180 kilometres from Taiwan’s main island but only 10 kilometres from China. Two mask-wearing Taiwanese troops reportedly tossed rocks at a Chinese drone on one occasion, on August 16, as it flew over their military base.
(With inputs from agencies)
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