The Biden administration notified Congress of its proposal to sell US$750 million in weapons to Taiwan, a move that may further exacerbate tensions with Beijing. According to a notice from the State Council spokesperson, two congressional sources, and the National Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the government issued a notice of the planned sale on August 4. The transaction includes 40 sets of M109A6 medium self-propelled howitzer systems and related equipment. The spokesperson said: “If completed, this proposed sale will help modernize Taiwan’s howitzer fleet and strengthen its self-defense capabilities to deal with current and future threats.”
A congressional source said, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Robert May Nendez has approved the transaction as part of the informal review process. The source said that Menendez believes this is “another statement that the Biden administration seriously intends to realize the Indo-Pacific right-wing strategy and pledges to support our ally, Taiwan.” The United States has long provided weapons to the island in accordance with the provisions of the Taiwan Relations Act dating back decades, and both parties support the provision of weapons to Taiwan. The system was sold to Taiwan, and the government had previously approved several large-scale arms sales to Taiwan worth more than $13 billion, including dozens of F-16 fighter jets, M1A2T Abrams tanks, Stinger portable air defense missiles, and MK torpedoes. 48 Mod6 Beijing regards Taiwan as an illegal separatist province, as the Ministry of National Defense said on September 18, “a sacred and inalienable part of Chinese territory.”
The United States has only officially recognized Beijing since the 1970s, but has since become a major international weapons supplier and sponsor. In the past, the US spaced and restricted sales to minimize Beijing’s response. However, President Trump is more interested in large-scale and rapid approval of arms sales to Taiwan. Biden does not seem to pay much attention to Beijing’s objections. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a statement on August 5 that it “strongly opposed” the Biden government’s sale proposal and made “stern representations” to the Chinese government. In April, President Biden sent an unofficial delegation to visit Taiwan to show his support for Taiwan. The U.S. State Department also announced in April that the agency “issued new guidelines for the interaction of the U.S. government with Taiwan counterparts to encourage the U.S. government to engage with Taiwan, which reflects our unofficial relationship. “Some of the expectations raised may be difficult for the United States. State compliance. In terms of security, there is a need to help Taiwan build the next generation of its military, including continuous sales of weapons (of the right type and affordable by Taiwan), secret or open military exchanges, and even joint military exercises. Some people expect the United States to help Taiwan improve Its defensive efficiency includes the promotion of Taiwan’s military reform. No matter who enters the White House, Taiwan and the United States face fundamental challenges. relation. Because increased support raises expectations, any honeymoon is always short-lived.
