US approves $2 billion in arms sales to Taiwan including advanced missile defense system

The United States has approved $2 cardinal successful arms income to Taiwan, including nan transportation for nan first clip to nan land of an precocious surface-to-air rocket defense system

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The United States has approved $2 cardinal successful arms income to Taiwan, including nan first-time transportation to nan self-ruled land of an precocious surface-to-air rocket defense system, successful a move judge to anger China.

Taiwan’s statesmanlike agency connected Saturday thanked Washington for greenlighting nan imaginable arms sales. Under nan island's caller president, Lai Ching-te, Taiwan has been stepping up defense measures arsenic China accrued its subject threats against nan territory it claims arsenic its own.

Beijing past week held war games encircling Taiwan for nan 2nd clip since Lai took agency successful May.

The U.S. is Taiwan’s strongest unofficial state and its laws bound it to supply Taiwan pinch nan intends to take sides itself.

“Strengthening Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities is nan instauration for maintaining location stability,” Taiwan's statesmanlike spokesperson Karen Kuo said.

The imaginable income package includes 3 National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and related instrumentality weighted astatine up to $1.16 billion, according to nan U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.

It besides includes radar systems worthy an estimated $828 million.

The Chinese authorities did not instantly remark connected nan imaginable arms sales.

The NASAMS strategy has been battle-tested successful Ukraine and will thief to fortify nan Taiwanese army’s aerial defense capabilities, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said.

China’s warfare games past week were aimed astatine practicing nan “sealing disconnected of cardinal ports and cardinal areas” astir Taiwan, according to Chinese officials. Taiwan counted a grounds one-day full of 153 aircraft, 14 navy vessels and 12 Chinese authorities ships.