BY COMFORT OGBONNA
The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of spare parts for F-16 jets and radars to Taiwan, valued at an estimated $385 million, the Pentagon announced on Friday. The approval comes just a day before Taiwan’s President, Lai Ching-te, begins a sensitive trip across the Pacific.
Despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei, U.S. law mandates providing Taiwan—claimed by China—with the necessary means to defend itself, a policy that consistently provokes Beijing.
Taiwan, a democratically governed island, rejects China’s claims of sovereignty. Meanwhile, China has been increasing military pressure on Taiwan, including conducting two rounds of war games this year. Security sources have informed Reuters that Beijing might conduct additional drills to coincide with Lai’s Pacific tour, which includes stopovers in Hawaii and Guam, both U.S. territories.
According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the approved sale includes $320 million in spare parts and support for F-16 fighter jets, as well as Active Electronically Scanned Array radars and related equipment.
Additionally, the State Department approved a separate $65 million sale to Taiwan for upgraded mobile subscriber equipment and related support, with General Dynamics as the primary contractor.
Taiwan’s defense ministry stated that it expects the sales to take effect within a month and emphasized that the equipment will enhance the readiness of its F-16 fleet and bolster its defensive capabilities.
“Taiwan and the United States will continue to strengthen their security partnership and work together to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the broader Indo-Pacific region,” the ministry said in a statement.
Last month, the U.S. announced a potential $2 billion arms package for Taiwan, which includes the delivery of an advanced air defense missile system previously tested in Ukraine.
President Lai is scheduled to depart for Hawaii on Saturday as part of an official stopover en route to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau—three of the 12 countries that still maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei. He will also make a stop in Guam.
Both Hawaii and Guam host significant U.S. military bases.
On Friday, China urged the U.S. to exercise “utmost caution” in its dealings with Taiwan. In response, the State Department asserted that Lai’s transit is a private, routine, and unofficial matter, and should not be used as a pretext for provocation.
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