U.S. Approves $1.1 Billion Worth Military Supply to Taiwan

On September 2nd, the Biden administration announced the sale of more than $1 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan on combating the threats of the Communist China forces. It is the sixth time, and fifth in this year, under the Biden administration that it has announced arms sales to Taiwan. This is also continuing to implement the policy of regularizing arms sales to Taiwan in recent years.

Under the Taiwan Relations Act and the “Six Assurances,” the executive branch has informed the U.S. Congress that it will sell 100 AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles worth $85.6 million to Taiwan. Also included are 60 AGM-84l Harpoon block II anti-ship Air-to-sea missiles worth $355 million and maintenance and upgrading of the Raytheon Early Warning System, which has been in operation since 2013, worth $655.4 million. The bulk of the sale was for a $655.4 million logistical support package for Taiwan’s surveillance radar program, including air defense alerts. With the Chinese Communist Party stepping up its military exercises near Taiwan, early-warning air defense systems have become even more critical.

Rupert Hammond-Chambers, President of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council, said that Taiwan faces a range of threats and requires a degree of capabilities as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) recently demonstrated in its exercise blockade. With the siege wore on, the PLA sought to deprive Taiwan of the ability to mount a comprehensive defense and continued to find vulnerabilities in Taiwan’s security that PLA could exploit.