![]() Tsai said Taiwan is already an independent country called the Republic of China, its official name. Taiwan will buy as many as 400 land-launched Harpoon missiles intended to repel a potential Chinese invasion, completing a deal that Congress approved in 2020, according to a trade group’s. Beijing believes Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is a separatist bent on declaring the island's formal independence. The U.S government last week notified Congress of a possible sale of advanced torpedoes to Taiwan worth around $180 million, further souring already tense ties between Washington and Beijing.Ĭhina has denounced the Trump administration's increased support for Taiwan. While Taiwan's military is well-trained and well-equipped with mostly U.S.-made hardware, China has huge numerical superiority and is adding advanced equipment of its own such as stealth fighters. Taiwan has been bolstering its defences in the face of what it sees as increasingly threatening moves by Beijing, such as regular Chinese air force and naval exercises near Taiwan. If the United States agrees to sell the Harpoons, Taiwan should receive them in 2023, Chang added. The latest purchase from the United States is triggered by what Taiwan sees is a rising threat from China. Ryan White - MaA view of an RGM-84 surface-to-surface Harpoon missile, immediately after leaving a canister launcher aboard the cruiser USS LEAHY (CG-16), near the Pacific Missile Test Center, Calif. ![]() Taiwan president shores up dwindling allies on Pacific tourĬhina, which claims the democratically-ruled island as its own territory, routinely denounces US arms sales to Taiwan.Īnswering questions in parliament, Deputy Defence Minister Chang Che-ping confirmed that Taiwan was planning to buy Harpoon missiles from the United States to serve as a coastal defence cruise missile. Taiwan president to visit US this month move likely to anger China The United States, like most countries, has no official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but is bound by law to provide the democratic island with the means to defend itself. Taiwan plans to buy land-based Boeing-made Harpoon anti-ship missiles as part of its military modernisation efforts, its defence ministry said on Thursday, the latest purchase from the United States to deal with a rising threat from China. ![]() This month, US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in California and stressed the need to accelerate arms deliveries to Taiwan in the face of rising threats from China.Īfter the meeting, Mike Gallagher, Republican chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said he would like to look for ways to get Harpoon missiles to Taiwan ahead of those scheduled to go to Saudi Arabia.President Tsai Ing-wen delivers a speech at a government guest house in Taipei, Taiwan. Boeing (NYSE: BA) will produce Harpoon anti-ship system equipment for Taiwan to fulfill a foreign military sales requirement under a 498.3 million order from the U.S. ![]() It had previously purchased the ship-launched version.īoeing referred questions to the Pentagon. When asked about the news report, Taiwan Defence Ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang told a regular media conference the ministry had previously disclosed information about the purchase, adding it was "confident" the deal would continue according to schedule.Ī contract with Boeing that the US Naval Air Systems Command issued on Taiwan's behalf marks the first time it will get the mobile, land-launched version, the Bloomberg report said, citing Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the US-Taiwan Business Council. In 2020, Taiwan said it planned to buy land-based Boeing-made Harpoon anti-ship missiles as part of its military modernization efforts. ![]()
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