US approves possible sale of military assistance to Taiwan

Washington: The United States has approved the potential sale of military-technical assistance to Taiwan worth an estimated USD 108 million, the Pentagon said on Friday.

The US Defense Department said this proposed sale serves US national, economic, and security interests by supporting Taiwan's continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability.

"The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) of Blanket Order Contractor Technical Assistance Support and related equipment for an estimated cost of $108 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today," US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement.

According to Pentagon, the proposed sale will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, economic and progress in the region.

"The proposed sale will contribute to the sustainment of the recipient's vehicles, small arms, combat weapon systems, and logistical support items, enhancing its ability to meet current and future threats. The proposed sale will contribute to the recipient's goal of maintaining its military capability while further enhancing interoperability with the United States and other allies," the statement added.

China, which regards Taiwan as its province despite decades of separate governance, has earlier strongly opposed military cooperation between Washington and Taipei.

This defence agreement between US and Taiwan come a few days after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the one-China principle is what underpins stability across the Taiwan Strait and warned of "ferocious storms" across the region if the principle is "arbitrarily challenged or even sabotaged."

Wang made the remarks when asked about the root cause of the current tensions across the Taiwan Strait as he made a policy speech at the ASEAN Secretariat, Xinhua news agency reported.

Wang said history and practice have repeatedly proved that when the one-China principle is fully recognized and thoroughly followed, the Taiwan Strait would remain calm and the two sides enjoy peaceful development. However, when the one-China principle is arbitrarily challenged or even sabotaged, there would be dark clouds or even ferocious storms across the Taiwan Strait.

The Chinese foreign minister pointed out that the United States is constantly distorting and hollowing out the one-China policy, trying to use the "Taiwan card" to disrupt and hinder China's development process. (ANI)