The Trump Administration has approved the sale of $180 million worth of torpedoes to Taiwan amid a growing dispute in the relationship of both the countries by China. Even though the U.S. is not responsible to support or resolve the clash, it is required, by law, to help the island country to defend itself in case of any dispute or clash.
The move, announced by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency on Wednesday, May 29, has angered China. The agency has decided to provide eighteen MK-48 Mod6 Advanced Technology Heavy Weight Torpedoes and delivered the mandatory certification required to notify the Congress of the possible sale.
"The proposed sale will improve the recipient's capability in current and future defensive efforts. The recipient will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen homeland defense," the announcement said.
The Trump Administration led by the U.S. President Donald Trump has previously supplied several other arms to Taiwan, including M1A2T Abrams, anti-craft missiles and F-16 fighter jets, valued somewhere around $10 billion.
The China-Taiwan dispute is a long-standing argument between the two nations. China does not identify Taiwan as a separate nation and considers it as a “breakaway” province that one day will be a part of its country.
Beijing has constantly attempted and threatened to regain control of the island country through military or diplomatic means. However, Taiwan does not agree to that with many Taiwanese demanding a separate nation and identity.
The decision of the Trump administration concerning the sale of torpedoes to China has angered China. The country already has a strained relationship with the U.S. amid COVID-19 pandemic, with Trump, along with several other global leaders, accusing China of hiding facts concerning the scale and severity of the pandemic and therefore, undermining everyone’s efforts in controlling it.
It is being said that the decision of the U.S. to jump into the existing China-Taiwan conflict is the result of its existing dispute with Beijing. However, China has warned that supplying arms to Taiwan at this point will sprout new regional conflicts and further worsen its relationship with both the countries.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Thursday, May 21, that the arms sale to Taiwan will undermine U.S.-China relations and also affect regional stability.
China firmly opposes the US arms sales to Taiwan. We have lodged solemn representations with the US side and urged them to abide by the one-China Principle and the three China-US communiqués, stop arms sales to Taiwan and cut the military ties. pic.twitter.com/6cHYhezglO
— Spokesperson发言人办公室 (@MFA_China) May 21, 2020
Zhao further threatened that China will take all the necessary countermeasures and the consequences of it will have to be borne by the U.S.
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