US Approved $2 Billion Arms Deal To Taiwan, CHINA Isn't Pleased. | US-CHINA

The United States has approved the sale of $2 Billion in military hardware to Taiwan, demonstrating support for its ally while China immediately demanded that Washington cancel the order. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency or DSCA said the deal, which includes 108 M1A2T Abrams tanks, Hercules armored vehicles and 250 Stinger antiaircraft missiles. The sale would be the first transfer of big-ticket US military gear to the democratically-governed island in decades, and comes as ties between Washington and Beijing are already strained by their trade war. The proposed sale "will contribute to the modernization of the recipient's main battle tank fleet", improve its air defense system and "support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security and defensive capability of Taiwan" DSCA said. Taiwan’s Presidential Office expressed “sincere gratitude” to the US government for the arms sale. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said that Washington was responding positively to Taipei’s requests for new arms sales to bolster its defenses in the face of pressure from China. China has already expressed displeasure to the possible sale earlier this month. Geng Shuang, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, expressed opposition to the sales, saying they could harm relations between China and the United States. In addition to the recently approved arms packages, Taiwan in late February also requested 66 F-16V fighter jets from the United States. And in April, Washington approved a $500 million package that included F-16 parts and training. The United States switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 1979, but Taipei has remained an important ally. In recent years, Washington has been wary of completing big ticket arms deals with Taiwan, fearful of stoking China’s anger. But President Donald Trump – whose administration is locked in a trade war with Beijing that has seen the two sides impose tariffs on hundreds of billions in two-way commerce – has sought to strengthen ties with Taipei and appeared more willing to sell major weapon systems. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/201... https://www.vox.com/2019/7/9/20686016... #USTaiwanArmsDeal #M1A2Abrams #MilitaryNews