The State Department has approved two contracts worth $2.2 billion for possible foreign military sales to Taiwan of Abrams tanks and Stinger missiles.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency on Monday notified Congress it approved a $2 billion deal for 108 M1A2T Abrams tanks and a $223.6 million deal for Man-Portable Air-Defense Stinger missiles, as well as related equipment and support, as negotiated by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office.

The sales serve U.S. national, economic, and security interests, DSCA said, by supporting Taiwan's "continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability."

DSCA said the sales will improve the security and assist in "maintaining political stability, military balance and economic progress in the region."

General Dynamics Land Systems will be the primary contractor for the 108 M1A2T Abrams tanks, as well as 216 M240 Machine Guns, 14 M88A2 HERCULES vehicles, 16 M1070A1 heavy equipment transporters and ammunition.

As of 2015, Taiwan has 376 M60A3 Patton tanks, which were introduced by Chrysler's Detroit Arsenal in 1959, and 450 Brave Tiger tanks, developed by General Dynamics and the Republic of China Army, which have been in service since 1990, according to GlobalSecurity.org.

Production of the new tanks will be at Anniston Army Depot, Anniston, Ala., and the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, Ohio. The M88A2 recovery vehicle prime contractor will be BAE Systems in York, Pa., and the M1070Al Heavy Equipment Transporter prime contractor will be Oshkosh in Wisconsin.

Raytheon Missile Systems is the primary contractor for the 250 Block I-92F MANPAD Stinger missiles and four Block I-92F MANPAD Stinger Fly-to-Buy missiles, as well as a trainers, parts and other support.

Both deals include U.S. government and contractor representatives on the ground in Taiwan, Twelve representatives will be in Taiwan for six weeks to support the Stinger, while 30 government representatives and 15 contractors will be there for up to six years to manage fielding and training on the Abrams tanks.

Mainland China on Tuesday described the sales to Taiwan as a "reckless" policy.

"The United States has recklessly interfered in Chinese domestic affairs," Beijing's foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular press briefing. "It has undermined China's sovereignty and security interests."

Beijing recognizes Taiwan as a breakaway province. In 1949, Chinese nationalist leaders fled to Taiwan when Mao Zedong came to power.

"Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory," the foreign ministry spokesman said. "Do not underestimate the Chinese government and the people's will to defend national sovereignty and territory."

Taiwan has been working to modernize and upgrade its defense capabilities, with several deals receiving approval in the last few months.

Raytheon in May was awarded a $355.4 million contract to refurbish AGM-88B missiles for Qatar, Bahrain and Taiwan, though the breakdown of what each country received was not announced. The State Department in April also approved a $500 million possible contract renewal for training of Taiwanese F-16 pilots and maintenance support at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense in February applied to buy F16-V fighter jets, known as Vipers. The State Department has not yet approved the deal.

China demands US cancel arms sale to Taiwan
Beijing (AFP) July 9, 2019 - China demanded Tuesday that the United States "immediately cancel" a potential sale of $2.2 billion in arms to self-ruled Taiwan, including battle tanks and anti-aircraft missiles, adding fuel to tensions between the two powers.

The US later shrugged off China's complaints, responding that the equipment would contribute to "peace and stability" in Asia.

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.

China has lodged formal complaints through diplomatic channels expressing "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to the move, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular press briefing.

The deal includes 108 M1A2T Abrams tanks, 250 Stinger portable anti-aircraft missiles, related equipment and support at an estimated cost of just over $2.2 billion, according to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).

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.

It would not alter the "basic military balance in the region," the agency added, and Congress has been notified. US lawmakers have 30 days to object to the sale but are unlikely to do so.

Geng said the proposed deal "seriously violates the one-China principle" and "grossly interferes" in the country's internal affairs.

"China urges the US to... immediately cancel the planned arms sale and stop military relations with Taipei to avoid damaging Sino-US relations and harming peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," he said.

The State Department responded by saying the transaction doesn't change US recognition of Beijing as China's sole government.

"Our interest in Taiwan, especially as it relates to these military sales, is to promote peace and stability across the strait, across the region," spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told reporters.

"So there is no change of course in our longstanding one-China policy," she said.

Taiwan has been ruled separately from China since the end of a civil war in 1949, but Beijing considers it a part of its territory to be retaken -- by force if necessary.

China has significantly stepped up diplomatic and military pressure on Taipei since the election in 2016 of President Tsai Ing-wen, whose Democratic Progressive Party refuses to acknowledge that the island is part of "One China".

It has staged military exercises near the island, and steadily reduced the already small number of nations that recognise Taiwan.

The United States switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 1979, but has remained an important ally -- and arms supplier -- to Taipei. Laws passed that year by Congress required Washington to provide the island with means of self-defence.

But it has been wary of big-ticket military equipment sales to Taiwan in recent years, fearful of stoking anger in Beijing.

- Obsolete equipment -

President Donald Trump -- whose administration is locked in a trade war with China -- has however sought to strengthen ties with Taiwan and appears more willing to sell arms.

Taiwan would be massively outgunned in terms of troop numbers and firepower in any conflict with China, and has sought to upgrade much of its increasingly obsolete military equipment, especially in its air force.

"Taiwan stands in the frontline of China's ambitious expansion and faces enormous threats and pressure from Beijing," the Taiwanese foreign ministry said in a statement.

"This arms sale of M1A2 tanks and various missiles will help greatly to increase our defensive capabilities."

Abrams tanks and Stinger missiles -- which are portable and can be quickly moved by soldiers in the field -- would significantly increase Taiwan's ability to counter Chinese armour and warplanes in the event of an invasion.

"The M1A2 tanks are very reliable and will become an essential part of our ground defense" because of their maneuvrability, Lieutenant General Yang Hai-ming of the Taiwanese army told reporters.

"Having the M1A2 to replace our older tanks will quickly and effectively boost our defence capability."

Related Links
Taiwan News at SinoDaily.com

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