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06-08-2021, 03:52 PM
The Biden administration has approved its first arms sale to the island democracy of Taiwan, a potential $750 million deal, amid rising tensions with China.
It calls for selling Taiwan 40 new M109 self-propelled howitzers and almost 1,700 kits to convert projectiles into more precise GPS-guided munitions, according to a State Department notification to Congress on Wednesday.
The proposed sale must go through a congressional review process and then through negotiations between Taiwan and contractor BAE Systems Plc, which is also providing the U.S. Army with the latest version of the howitzer, before a contract is signed and delivery times are hashed out.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry denounced the sale and said Thursday that Beijing would take countermeasures “based on the development of the situation.” China imposed unspecified sanctions on the defense unit of Boeing Co., Lockheed Martin Corp., and Raytheon Technologies Corp. last year after the U.S. approved weapons sales to Taiwan from the companies.
Taiwan’s presidential office expressed thanks to the U.S., saying the weapons would give Taiwan more confidence to ensure peace. “Taiwan will continue to deepen cooperation with the U.S. and other like-minded countries,” said spokesman Chang Tun-han in an online statement. The Taiwanese Defense Ministry said it expected the sale to take effect after one month.
More at https://tinyurl.com/ycjvvpkv
It calls for selling Taiwan 40 new M109 self-propelled howitzers and almost 1,700 kits to convert projectiles into more precise GPS-guided munitions, according to a State Department notification to Congress on Wednesday.
The proposed sale must go through a congressional review process and then through negotiations between Taiwan and contractor BAE Systems Plc, which is also providing the U.S. Army with the latest version of the howitzer, before a contract is signed and delivery times are hashed out.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry denounced the sale and said Thursday that Beijing would take countermeasures “based on the development of the situation.” China imposed unspecified sanctions on the defense unit of Boeing Co., Lockheed Martin Corp., and Raytheon Technologies Corp. last year after the U.S. approved weapons sales to Taiwan from the companies.
Taiwan’s presidential office expressed thanks to the U.S., saying the weapons would give Taiwan more confidence to ensure peace. “Taiwan will continue to deepen cooperation with the U.S. and other like-minded countries,” said spokesman Chang Tun-han in an online statement. The Taiwanese Defense Ministry said it expected the sale to take effect after one month.
More at https://tinyurl.com/ycjvvpkv
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