The United States has approved $330 million-worth of parts and components in its first military sale to Taiwan since US President Donald Trump’s return to office, the island’s foreign ministry said Friday.
Washington is Taipei’s biggest arms supplier and a key deterrent to a potential Chinese attack, but Trump’s remarks on Taiwan have raised doubts about his willingness to defend the democratic island.
Beijing claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control.
“This marks the first time the new Trump administration has announced an arms sale to Taiwan,” the foreign ministry said, after the US State Department approved the package.
Taiwan requested “non-standard components, spare and repair parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return support for F-16, C-130, and Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) aircraft,” a statement posted by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said.