US Approves $580 Billion Arms Sale to Taiwan... China Threatens Taiwan

China Sends 11 Military Aircraft to Violate Median Line of Taiwan Strait

The U.S. Department of Defense has approved arms sales and supply support to Taiwan worth $440 million (approximately 580 billion KRW). Immediately after the announcement of the U.S. arms sales approval, China sent 11 military aircraft to cross the median line of the Taiwan Strait, escalating threats.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to major foreign media on the 30th, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) under the U.S. Department of Defense announced in a press release the previous day that the U.S. Department of State had approved two Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contracts related to Taiwan.

The State Department ratified the sale of ammunition worth $332.2 million at Taiwan's request. The shells sold by the U.S. to Taiwan include 30mm high-explosive incendiary tracer rounds, multipurpose rounds, and practice rounds.

The State Department also approved a contract to sell wheeled combat vehicles, weapons, and related equipment repair and spare parts in a package worth $108 million (approximately 140 billion KRW).

The United States established diplomatic relations with China in 1979 based on the "One China" principle, maintaining unofficial diplomatic relations with Taiwan. However, in the same year, it also laid the legal foundation to provide military support to Taiwan in case of emergency. Especially after former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in August last year, concerns over a Chinese invasion of Taiwan increased, prompting moves to expand arms supplies to Taiwan.

Following the announcement of the U.S. arms sales approval, China sent 11 military aircraft to cross the median line of the Taiwan Strait, escalating military threats. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense stated that around 8 a.m. that day, 24 Chinese military aircraft were detected near Taiwan, of which 11 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait. The median line of the Taiwan Strait is an unofficial boundary declared in 1955 by U.S. Air Force General Benjamin Davis after the mutual defense treaty between the U.S. and Taiwan was signed in December 1954, intended to prevent military clashes between China and Taiwan.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also immediately protested. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated at a briefing that day, "Our position of resolutely opposing the military ties between the U.S. and Taiwan and the U.S. arms sales to Taiwan is consistent and clear." She added, "The U.S. must strictly abide by the 'One China' principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques and stop arms sales to Taiwan," emphasizing, "It must also stop creating new sources of tension in the Taiwan Strait and actions that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.