The transfer of $619 million worth of new weapons to Taiwan, including missiles for its F-16 fleet, has been approved by the US as the island reported a second day of extensive Chinese air force intrusions in the area.
Beijing, which has repeatedly asked that such purchases end and sees them as inappropriate backing for democratically-governed Taiwan, an island, China claims as its own territory, fears that the arms shipments will further erode already fragile relations between Washington and Beijing.
The Pentagon announced on Wednesday that the U.S. State Department has cleared the potential transfer of weapons and equipment to Taiwan, including 200 AGM-88B HARM missiles that can destroy land-based radar stations and 100 anti-aircraft Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles.
It said in a statement; “The proposed sale will contribute to the recipient’s capability to provide for the defence of its airspace, regional security, and interoperability with the United States.”
The missiles would strengthen Taiwan’s defense stockpiles and “effectively defend the airspace to deal with threats and provocations from the Communist military,” according to the minister of defense.
The main contractors are Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies, it was added. Both businesses have been penalized by China for selling arms to Taiwan.
The planned sale was firmly opposed by China, according to its foreign ministry, who also urged the US to halt arm shipments to Taiwan and military contacts with the island nation.
Since about three years ago, Taiwan has voiced complaints about increased military exercises by China close to the island as Beijing tries to bolster its claims to sovereignty.
On Thursday, Taiwan confirmed a second day of significant Chinese air force incursions inside its air defense identification zone. According to its defense ministry, 21 aircraft were observed in the previous 24 hours.
Notwithstanding the outrage this generates in Taipei, China has claimed that its actions in the region are legitimate because it wants to protect its territorial integrity and warn the US against “colluding” with Taiwan.
According to a map the military released, Taiwan’s defense ministry claimed the aircraft, which included 17 J-10 fighters and four J-16 fighters, flew into the southwest corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone.
The J-16s, a considerably more recent and sophisticated fighter, flew northeast of the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands, while the J-10s, an older model that first entered service two decades ago, flew closer to the Chinese shore than Taiwan’s.
Strategically situated at the head of the South China Sea, the weakly fortified Pratas are a frequent target of Chinese fly-bys.
Using the standard language for its response to such Chinese invasions, the ministry stated that Taiwan’s army observed the situation and sent up its own planes.
On Wednesday, the ministry stated that 19 Chinese aircraft were operating within Taiwan’s air defense zone.
None of the planes breached the Taiwan Strait’s sensitive median line, which has served as an unofficial border between the two countries but which China’s air force has been flying over virtually every day since performing war games around Taiwan last August.
When 10 planes were involved, Taiwan last reported a significant median line crossing by Chinese aircraft on Friday.
China has not made any remarks regarding recent events close to Taiwan.
They ,however, claimed to have conducted combat training exercises in January to “resolutely counter the provocative actions of external forces and Taiwan independence separatist forces” on the island.
There have been no gunshots, and the Chinese planes were flying in Taiwan’s ADIZ rather than its territorial airspace.
Taiwan monitors and patrols a larger area known as the ADIZ, which provides it greater time to react to any threats.
The Taiwanese government has frequently offered to hold negotiations with China, but it maintains that only the Taiwanese people have the right to determine their own future and that the island will defend itself if attacked.
