US Approves Arms Sale to Taiwan, China Reacts with Fury

On the 22nd, Mike Gallagher (center), a member of the House of Representatives, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (left), and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen are seen laughing and chatting at the Taiwan Presidential Palace. ⓒAP/Yonhap News

For the first time since the presidential election, the United States has approved a weapons sale to Taiwan. This has sparked strong opposition from China.

The Biden administration in the United States has notified Congress of plans to sell an advanced tactical data system Link 16 upgrade and related weapons to Taiwan, worth $75 million, according to reports from Hong Kong’s Ming Pao and others on the 23rd. The White House plans to send 400 government officials and defense industry personnel to Taiwan to facilitate this.

Link 16 that the United States sold to Taiwan is military data equipment exported globally after the U.S. developed. It is already an internationally standardized military communication system. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) under the U.S. Department of Defense stated, “This upgrade and weapons sale will strengthen the communication security of the Taiwanese military and ensure the safe transmission of tactical information” and “A secure communication infrastructure will enhance the reaction capabilities of the Taiwanese military.”

The day before, a delegation from the U.S. House of Representatives proposed to Taiwan the joint production of 155mm howitzer shells, according to Taiwan’s China Times. It is a main shell that the U.S. and the European Union (EU) support in Ukraine. Notably, the shells provided by the United States can utilize digital fire control systems and GPS location confirmation systems, ensuring high accuracy and a range of up to approximately 43.5 miles. The U.S., which has provided hundreds of thousands of these shells to Ukraine, is currently suffering from a shortage of stock.

This is the first time the United States has sold weapons since the Taiwanese presidential election held on the 13th of last month. Regarding this weapons deal, Lin Yu-chan, spokesperson for the Taiwan Presidential Office, said, “The Biden administration has sold weapons to Taiwan for the 13th time,” and “This shows the strong partnership between the two countries.”

China has strongly opposed this. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, “The U.S.’s sale of weapons to Taiwan seriously harms China’s sovereignty, security interests, relations with the U.S., and the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait,” and “China will take firm and strong measures to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”