The government has welcomed the formal announcement of a new US arms package for Taiwan. The defense ministry and the foreign ministry both released statements on Thursday about what the arms sale means for Taiwan.
Defense ministry spokesperson David Lo said that the deal has implications for both cross-strait and Taiwan-US relations.
"The ten types of military hardware the US is selling to the Republic of China will help strengthen our self-defense capabilities while at the same time increasing our confidence in conducting cross-strait exchanges," Lo said. "It will be beneficial towards the goal of achieving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."
The Republic of China is Taiwan’s official name. Lo said that the arms sale shows the importance the US places on Taiwan’s security. He said that Taiwan and the US will consolidate their security partnership to contribute to the long-term peace and stability of the region.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministry said that the arms package highlights the shared interests of the US and Taiwan. The foreign ministry also said that the deal shows Taiwan’s importance to the US as an economic and security partner in the Asia-Pacific region.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Eleanor Wang said that the arms sale will also have a positive effect on cross-strait relations.
"Through this sale of arms, the US is supporting the strengthening of Taiwan’s defenses. Not only will this not be an impediment to the development of cross-strait relations, it will actually help maintain cross-strait peace and stability, and give us more confidence during the process of cross-strait dialogue and the improvement of cross-strait relations," Wang said.
The foreign ministry said that the arms sale demonstrates the US commitment to Taiwan’s defense as detailed in the Taiwan Relations Act and Six Assurances.