The Pentagon approved a potential $330 million military sale to Taiwan for fighter jet spare parts, marking the first such transaction under Trump.
WASHINGTON: The United States has approved a potential $330 million military sale to Taiwan for fighter jet spare and repair parts.
This marks the first such potential arms transaction since President Donald Trump took office in January.
The Pentagon announced the possible sale late on Thursday.
“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.
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.
Trump says Chinese President Xi Jinping has told him he will not invade Taiwan while the Republican leader is in office.
The announcement comes after Trump and Xi met late last month 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 Trump to Xi.
Washington has formal diplomatic ties with Beijing but maintains unofficial ties with Taiwan.
The United States remains the island’s most important arms supplier. – Reuters
