US approves sale of $619 million in arms to Taiwan as Chinese planes make incursion

The United States has approved its latest sale of $619 million worth of new weapons, including missiles, to Taiwan. The latest arms sale comes amidst further strained relations between China and the US, as well as Taiwan’s reporting of another Chinese incursion into its airspace.

On Wednesday, the Pentagon said the State Department approved the potential sale of new weapons and equipment to Taiwan worth $619 million. The latest sale includes 200 anti-aircraft Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles and 100 AGM-88B HARM missiles that can target land-based radar stations.

“The proposed sale will contribute to the recipient’s capability to provide for the defense of its airspace, regional security, and interoperability with the United States,” the Pentagon said in a statement.

The Taiwanese defense ministry said the new missiles would help “effectively defend the airspace to deal with threats and provocations from the Communist military” and would boost its defense stockpiles. The ministry added that the principal contractors are Raytheon Technologies and Lockheed Martin, which China has sanctioned for supplying the island nation with weapons.

The latest sale is bound to further strain relations between Beijing and Washington. China views Taiwan as its territory and has opposed any interaction between the island’s democratic government and foreign governments. The United States is legally bound to supply Taiwan with weapons despite China’s protests and demands to stop such sales as Beijing sees it as Washington giving support to Taiwan’s independence.

The latest sale also comes amidst another incursion by Chinese planes over Taiwanese airspace. Taiwan reported on Thursday that China’s air force made a large-scale incursion into Taiwanese airspace for the second day as Beijing looks to further pressure Taiwan into submitting to its authority.

Also on Wednesday, the US-based American Institute in Taiwan appointed a former Biden administration official on China policy to become the institute’s new chair and will guide US ties with the island nation. Laura Rosenberger will become the new AIT chair when the institute’s current chair, James Moriarty, who has served as the institute’s chair since 2016, retires on March 20.

The US government-backed organization carries out unofficial relations with Taiwan, and its remit includes operating the US de facto embassy in Taiwan’s capital Taipei.