US Selling Taiwan $619 Million Worth Of F- 16 Fighter Jets Munitions

The Pentagon stated on Wednesday that the US has approved the sale of $619 million in F-16 fighter aircraft weapons to Taiwan. China is expected to take offence at this decision. The package comprises 200 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), 100 AGM-88B High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARM), launchers, and fake missiles for training, according to a statement from the Military. Taiwan's "capacity to provide for the defence of its airspace, regional security, and interoperability with the United States" will increase as a result of the transaction, it was stated. The news coincides with rising tensions between the US and China over Taiwan as well as the downing of a balloon over American territory last month, which Washington claims was a Chinese spy balloon. Taiwan has been independently governed for more than 70 years.Beijing, though, views it as a rebellious province. Separately, the US State Department stated that the transaction is in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and the US's One China Policy, both of which recognise that there is only one country known as China. According to the State Department, "the United States' assistance for Taiwan and the actions Taipei takes to improve its self-defense capabilities contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and throughout the region. The first American weaponry sales of the year and the ninth overall during President Joe Biden's administration were welcomed, according to Taiwan. Taiwan will keep aggressively enhancing its self-defence capabilities in response to China's ongoing military buildup and belligerent actions, according to Jeff Liu, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry.