US Arms Sales to Taiwan Indicate Tougher Attitude Towards China

The News Lens
Date: 2019/08/27
By: Sydney Ko and Milo Hsieh

The Trump administration has approved a series of arms sales to Taiwan, indicating closer U.S.-Taiwan relations as well as a tougher attitude towards China.

Reporting by Sydney Ko and Milo Hsieh

The United States recently approved weapon sales to Taiwan including M1A1 Abrams tanks, Stinger missiles, and US$8 billion worth of F-16V fighter jets, boosting Taiwan’s military strength.

Lt. Gen. Wallace Gregson, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affair, said the arms sales outline a major shift of U.S. attitude towards China. It insinuates the Trump administration’s willingness to challenge China’s increasingly aggressive show of power over maritime and air space in the Taiwan strait.

During last week’s lecture hosted jointly by the Institute of National Defense and Security Research (INDSR) and American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), Gregson pointed to the 2019 Indo-Pacific Strategy Report released by the U.S. Department of Defense as a change of U.S. attitude towards China's aggression. The report referred to Taiwan as the "natural partners" of the U.S. like Singapore and New Zealand and reiterated the U.S. commitment to ensuring Taiwan remains secure and free from coercion.

“While the Chinese people aspire to free markets, justice, and the rule of law, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), undermines the international system from within by exploiting its benefits while simultaneously eroding the values and principles of the rules-based order,” the report stated.    [FULL  STORY]