Taiwan welcomes congressional notification of US arms sale

2017/07/03

The announcement of a planned US$1.42 billion arms sale to Taipei by Washington in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and Six Assurances was welcomed June 30 by the Republic of China (Taiwan) government.
 
 Comprising eight defense sales, the deal was notified by the U.S. Department of State to Congress the day before. It is the first such sale since President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May 2016 and President Donald J. Trump was inaugurated in January this year.
 
 In a tweet on her official Twitter account the same day, Tsai welcomed the congressional notification and said the “provision of defensive systems … increases Taiwan’s confidence and ability to maintain the status quo of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
 
“We will continue to seek constructive dialogue with Beijing, and promote positive developments in cross-strait relations. We believe that such efforts will be welcomed by the global community.”
 
Tsai also pledged to continue demonstrating the government’s commitment to bolstering Taiwan’s defensive capabilities through increased investment in indigenous defense industries and related research.
 
 According to the Ministry of National Defense, the U.S. arms sale package includes AN/SLQ-32 (V)3 electronic warfare systems upgrades, AGM-154C joint standoff weapon missiles, MK 54 lightweight torpedo conversion kits, MK 48 Mod 6AT heavyweight torpedoes, SM-2 Block IIIA standard missiles and components, as well as AGM-88B high-speed anti-radiation missiles.
 
 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the sale underscores the importance the Trump administration attaches to Taiwan’s national defense, adding that it will also help strengthen cross-strait peace while ensuring security in the Asia-Pacific.
 
 It is expected that Taiwan and the U.S. will continue enhancing their security partnership and contributing to regional stability, the MOFA added.

Source: Taiwan Today (hhttp://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=2&post=117692)