The U.S. State Department announced on Monday that it has approved a potential foreign military sale to Taiwan of spare parts, which are estimated to be worth approximately $228 million.
Taiwan’s military has stated that this sale will assist in preserving combat readiness in the presence of China’s gray zone intrusions.
In a statement, the State Department announced the transfer of spare parts from U.S. government stock for return, repair, and reshipment.
The Taiwanese defense ministry expressed its appreciation for the arms sale package, anticipating its implementation within the next month.
“The Chinese Communist’s routineized gray zone intrusions have constricted the training space and response time in our airspace and maritime areas,” it said in a statement.
China has intensified political and military pressure on Taiwan over the last five years to assert its claims, which Taiwan strongly denies.
China has recently increased its use of “grey-zone warfare,” or non-combatant tactics, to test and put pressure on Taiwanese forces. One example is the frequent coast guard patrols near the Taiwanese-controlled Kinmen islands, which are visible to China.
