US approves potential $429m military sale to Taiwan, first under Trump

WASHINGTON - The US approved the possible sale to Taiwan of fighter jet spare and repair parts for US$330 million (S$428.90 million), the Pentagon said late on Nov 13, marking the first such potential transaction since President Donald Trump took office in January.

“The proposed sale will improve the recipient’s capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of the recipient’s fleet of F-16, C-130,” and other aircraft, the Pentagon said in a statement.

Washington has formal diplomatic ties with Beijing, but maintains unofficial ties with Taiwan and is the island’s most important arms supplier.

The United States is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself.

Taiwan’s defence ministry said in a statement that it expected the sales to “take effect” within one month.

“The United States continues to help Taiwan maintain sufficient self-defense capabilities, for which the ministry expresses its gratitude,” it added.

The provision of the parts will help maintain the air force’s fighter readiness and bolster air defences, strengthen defensive resilience and enhance the island’s ability to respond to China’s “gray-zone” incursions, the ministry said.

China’s military stages regular missions into the waters and skies around Taiwan, which the government in Taipei terms “gray zone” activities designed to pressure the island but which stop short of actual combat.

China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to take control of the island.

Taiwan’s government strongly objects to Beijing’s sovereignty claims and says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.

Mr Trump says Chinese President Xi Jinping has told him

he will not invade Taiwan

while the Republican leader is in office.

The announcement of the possible arms sale comes after

Mr Trump and Mr Xi met

in late October in South Korea in an effort to secure a trade deal.

Ahead of the meeting, there was a fear in Taipei there could have been some sort of “selling out” of Taiwan’s interests by Mr Trump to Mr Xi. REUTERS