The United States has signed off on $385m in new weapons sales to Taiwan, the latest sign of deepening military ties that have unsettled China.
The US expects to begin delivering the military equipment, including spare parts for fighter jets and radar systems, in 2025, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement on Friday.
The sale approved by the US Department of State will ensure Taiwan can “meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness” of its F-16 fleet, said the DSCA.
On Saturday, Taiwan’s President William Lai Ching-te set off for a trip to the Pacific, with planned stopovers in the US that have prompted fury from China.
China claims the self-ruled democracy as its own and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve its goal of unification. It has long opposed US arms sales to Taiwan.
While heading on Saturday to Pacific allies Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, Lai will make stops in the US state of Hawaii and territory of Guam on his first foreign trip since taking office in May.
In a speech shortly before takeoff, Lai said the tour “ushered in a new era of values-based democracy” and he thanked the US government for “helping to make this trip a smooth one”.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it opposes Taiwan’s leaders “scurrying” to the US, which despite lacking formal diplomatic ties is the island’s biggest arms supplier and backer.
The US should “handle the Taiwan issue with utmost caution, unequivocally oppose Taiwan independence, and support the peaceful reunification of China”, said ministry spokesperson Mao Ning.
The State Department responded that it sees “no justification for a private, routine, and unofficial transit to be used as a pretext for provocation”.
This is the 18th arms deal announced during the tenure of US President Joe Biden, according to Taiwan, which has increasingly sought to broaden military ties with its ally.
Last month, the US approved a $2bn arms sale package for Taiwan, including advanced surface-to-air missile systems and radar.
The Ministry of National Defense in Taipei “expressed gratitude” to the US for the weapons support and said it was determined to strengthen its defences in the face of China’s military pressure.
“Taiwan and the United States will continue to consolidate our security partnership,” it said.
China has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan in recent years with near-daily deployments of fighter jets and warships around the island.
On Saturday, Taiwan’s defence ministry said 18 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels as well as two balloons were detected in the 24 hours to 6am (22:00 GMT Friday).
