US State Department approves US$1.8bn weapons sale to Taiwan amid tension with China
The State Department of the United State formally notified Congress the approval of US$1.8 billion (around NTD 13.95 billion) sales of weapons to Taiwan on Oct 21 (Wednesday), including missiles and rocket systems.
The formal notifications to Congress covered 11 truck-based rocket launchers made by Lockheed Martin Corp, 135 Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) Missiles and related equipment made by Boeing Co, and six new external sensor pods for F16 fighters made by Collins Aerospace, for enhanced intelligence gathering ability of F16 fighters.
Further congressional notifications are expected to follow, including drones and land-based Harpoon anti-ship missiles to serve as coastal defense cruise missiles. Sources told Reuters news agency the weapons would cost about US$2 billion.
The formal notification gave Congress 30 days to object to the eighth sales of weapons to Taiwan during Donald Trump’s presidency, but there is broad bipartisan support for the defense of Taiwan.
Source: Stand news #Oct22
#US #Taiwan #WeaponSales #Defense
The State Department of the United State formally notified Congress the approval of US$1.8 billion (around NTD 13.95 billion) sales of weapons to Taiwan on Oct 21 (Wednesday), including missiles and rocket systems.
The formal notifications to Congress covered 11 truck-based rocket launchers made by Lockheed Martin Corp, 135 Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) Missiles and related equipment made by Boeing Co, and six new external sensor pods for F16 fighters made by Collins Aerospace, for enhanced intelligence gathering ability of F16 fighters.
Further congressional notifications are expected to follow, including drones and land-based Harpoon anti-ship missiles to serve as coastal defense cruise missiles. Sources told Reuters news agency the weapons would cost about US$2 billion.
The formal notification gave Congress 30 days to object to the eighth sales of weapons to Taiwan during Donald Trump’s presidency, but there is broad bipartisan support for the defense of Taiwan.
Source: Stand news #Oct22
#US #Taiwan #WeaponSales #Defense
China enters Taiwan air defense zone a day after island's military budget boost
Taiwan's air force scrambled on Friday to warn away 10 Chinese aircraft that entered its air defense zone, Taiwan's defense ministry said, the day after the island announced a $9 billion boost to military spending to counter the threat from China.
Chinese-claimed Taiwan has complained for a year or more of repeated missions by China's air force near the democratically governed island, often in the southwestern part of its air defense zone close to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands.
Source: CNBC #Sep18
https://t.co/uHxejm9gjR
#China #Taiwan #Defense
Taiwan's air force scrambled on Friday to warn away 10 Chinese aircraft that entered its air defense zone, Taiwan's defense ministry said, the day after the island announced a $9 billion boost to military spending to counter the threat from China.
Chinese-claimed Taiwan has complained for a year or more of repeated missions by China's air force near the democratically governed island, often in the southwestern part of its air defense zone close to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands.
Source: CNBC #Sep18
https://t.co/uHxejm9gjR
#China #Taiwan #Defense
Taiwan angered by Chinese air force's largest ever incursion
Taiwan sharply criticised China on Saturday after Beijing marked the founding of the People's Republic of China with the largest ever incursion by the Chinese air force into the island's air defence zone.
Taiwan, a democratically governed island that is claimed by China, has complained for more than a year of repeated missions near it by China's air force, often in the southwestern part of its air defence zone close to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands.
Taiwanese fighters scrambled against 38 Chinese aircraft in two waves on Friday, the Taiwan Defence Ministry said. It said Taiwan sent combat aircraft to warn away the Chinese aircraft, while missile systems were deployed to monitor them.
Source: Reuters #Oct02
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/taiwan-reports-largest-ever-incursion-by-chinese-air-force-2021-10-02/
#Taiwan #China #Aircraft #Defense
Taiwan sharply criticised China on Saturday after Beijing marked the founding of the People's Republic of China with the largest ever incursion by the Chinese air force into the island's air defence zone.
Taiwan, a democratically governed island that is claimed by China, has complained for more than a year of repeated missions near it by China's air force, often in the southwestern part of its air defence zone close to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands.
Taiwanese fighters scrambled against 38 Chinese aircraft in two waves on Friday, the Taiwan Defence Ministry said. It said Taiwan sent combat aircraft to warn away the Chinese aircraft, while missile systems were deployed to monitor them.
Source: Reuters #Oct02
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/taiwan-reports-largest-ever-incursion-by-chinese-air-force-2021-10-02/
#Taiwan #China #Aircraft #Defense
#China and #Solomon Islands Draft Secret #SecurityPact, Raising Alarm in the Pacific
//A leaked document has revealed that China and the Solomon Islands are close to signing a security agreement that could open the door to Chinese troops and naval warships flowing into a Pacific Island nation that played a pivotal role in World War II.
The agreement, kept secret until now, was shared online Thursday night by opponents of the deal and verified as legitimate by the Australian government...
it has set off alarms throughout the Pacific, where concerns about China’s intentions have been growing for years.
“This is deeply problematic for the United States and a real cause of concern for our allies and partners,” Charles Edel, the inaugural Australia chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said on Friday.
“The establishment of a base in the Solomon Islands by a strategic adversary would significantly degrade Australia and New Zealand’s security, increase the chances of local corruption and heighten the chances of resource exploitation.”
The leaked document states that “Solomon Islands may, according to its own needs, request China to send police, armed police, military personnel and other law enforcement and armed forces to Solomon Islands to assist in maintaining social order, protecting people’s lives and property.”//
Read the full article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/24/world/asia/china-solomon-islands-security-pact.html
Source: New York Times #Mar24
#Security #InternationalRelations #FiveEyes #Australia #Defense #Pacific #WW2
//A leaked document has revealed that China and the Solomon Islands are close to signing a security agreement that could open the door to Chinese troops and naval warships flowing into a Pacific Island nation that played a pivotal role in World War II.
The agreement, kept secret until now, was shared online Thursday night by opponents of the deal and verified as legitimate by the Australian government...
it has set off alarms throughout the Pacific, where concerns about China’s intentions have been growing for years.
“This is deeply problematic for the United States and a real cause of concern for our allies and partners,” Charles Edel, the inaugural Australia chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said on Friday.
“The establishment of a base in the Solomon Islands by a strategic adversary would significantly degrade Australia and New Zealand’s security, increase the chances of local corruption and heighten the chances of resource exploitation.”
The leaked document states that “Solomon Islands may, according to its own needs, request China to send police, armed police, military personnel and other law enforcement and armed forces to Solomon Islands to assist in maintaining social order, protecting people’s lives and property.”//
Read the full article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/24/world/asia/china-solomon-islands-security-pact.html
Source: New York Times #Mar24
#Security #InternationalRelations #FiveEyes #Australia #Defense #Pacific #WW2
Nytimes
China and Solomon Islands Draft Secret Security Pact, Raising Alarm in the Pacific (Published 2022)
The leaked agreement, if signed, could help the Chinese Navy block shipping routes that played a vital role in World War II.