The White House approved a $330 million sale of parts for military aircraft to Taiwan. It is the first time President Donald Trump has signed off on a weapons sale to Taipei since returning to the Oval Office.
“The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to [Taiwan] of Non-Standard Spare and Repair Parts and related equipment for an estimated cost of $330 million,” the statement from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) explained.
The aircraft parts are for the F-16, C-130, and Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) aircraft. The DSCA said, “The equipment will be transferred from US Government stock.”
US arms transfers to Taiwan are a major concern for China. Over the past decade, the US has engaged in a massive military buildup in the waters surrounding China, increased military aid to Taiwan, and President Joe Biden pledged to defend the breakaway Chinese region if Beijing attacked.
The policy has emboldened Taipei, with Taiwanese leaders becoming increasingly vocal about independence. Trump downplayed the Taiwan issue after a recent meeting with Chinese President Xi. The President first claimed he did not discuss Taiwan with the Chinese leader, then said Xi would not attack the island while he was in office.
“The Taiwan question is the core of China’s core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations,” China’s Foreign Ministry said in response to the sale.
