US approves $360M arms sale to Taiwan for missiles, drones

The Biden administration has approved a new $360 million weapons sale to Taiwan, sending the island hundreds of armed drones, missile equipment and related support material.

The announcement by the State Department in a statement on Tuesday was not unexpected but it comes at a time of high tension between Washington and Beijing, and is sure to draw condemnation from China.

The sale includes 291 Altius-600M systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, with warheads.

It also contains 720 Switchblade drones known as “extended-range loitering munitions,” the State Department said.

US interests

The sale “serves US national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability.”

It will “help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region," the department said.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te thanked the US for approving the latest arms sale to Taiwan during a press conference on Wednesday in Taipei.

He said such authorisations help to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

“In the future, we will continue to strengthen Taiwan’s national defence strength, whether through military purchases or our efforts,” he said.

The US statement claimed that the latest weapons transfer would not affect the military balance in the region.

The announcement was not unusual, although the US and China have in recent months sought to smooth tense relations.