On March 1, the State Department informed Congress that Taiwan had been granted permission to purchase hundreds of air-to-air and anti-radiation missiles for its fleet of F-16 aircraft.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated that the latest sale supports the recipient’s ongoing efforts to modernize its armed forces and maintain a credible defensive capability, which benefits “U.S. national, economic, and security interests.”
The proposed sale will aid the recipient in providing for the defense of its airspace, regional security, and interoperability with the United States, according to the DSCA.
The Defense Ministry of Taiwan announced on Thursday that the sale could go through in one month. It thanked the United States for assisting Taiwan in dealing with the “severe military threat” posed by China, which includes the daily presence of Chinese warplanes, warships, and drones in Taiwan’s air and seaspace.
In 2022, the Biden administration authorized 13 such sales to foreign militaries, the highest annual total in the last two decades.
In 1979, the United States severed its formal ties with Taiwan. However, it continues to be the island’s largest arms supplier and is obligated to aid in its self-defense to deter aggression. Beijing asserts that the U.S. sells arms to Taiwan in an effort to contain China.
