The US State Department has approved a US$95 million arms sale package that will provide support for Taiwan’s Patriot air defense system. The package includes equipment, training, and maintenance.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou said this is the US’s third arms sale to Taiwan under President Joe Biden’s administration, and the second this year. She said the sale shows the United States’s strong support for Taiwan.
The Pentagon said the package includes training, planning, deployment, operation and maintenance of Taiwan’s Patriot air defense system. It said the sale serves US interests in helping Taiwan maintain a “credible defensive capability”. The sale will help Taiwan’s “missile density and ensure readiness for air operations.”
Taiwan’s defense ministry said it expects the US Congress to approve the sale in a month’s time. Taiwan’s Presidential Office said that peace in the Taiwan Strait is a vital international issue. It said Taiwan is determined to strengthen its defenses and work together with the US, and other like-minded countries, to protect freedom and democracy.