US approves $100M sale to upgrade Taiwan’s missile defenses

The Biden administration has approved a potential $100 million contract for Taiwan to bolster the independent island’s missile defense systems, a move that has already drawn China’s ire.

The support agreement would include the sale of equipment and services to Taiwan to “sustain, maintain, and improve” its U.S.-made Patriot missile defense system, the State Department announced Monday.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency has notified Congress of the sale, which was requested by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, Taiwan’s de facto embassy in Washington.

China, which views Taiwan as a rogue state that falls under its rule, quickly criticized the deal, calling on the United States to pull the agreement and quit its military interaction with Taipei.

“U.S. arms sales to Taiwan … seriously undermine China’s sovereignty and security interests, and seriously damage China-U.S. relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.

“China will take appropriate and forceful measures to firmly safeguard its sovereignty and security interests,” he added.

The U.S. maintains informal ties with Taiwan, providing military equipment and training to the island to ensure it can defend itself against China, which has threatened an invasion to force it to accept its sovereignty.

But Washington has remained ambiguous on the responsibility to physically help Taipei as China has becomes more provocative in its pressure campaign, with repeated missions by Chinese war planes into Taiwan’s air defense zone.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted that it welcomed the deal, which will support the maintenance of its defensive capabilities, as well as regional peace and stability.

The deal announced Monday stems from Taiwan’s 2019 decision to buy newer Patriot missiles.