US-Taiwan $330 million arms deal escalates trade war spat amid claims of “a knife to China’s neck”

 

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Danish F-16 Fighting Falcon flies during the international air
show in Belgrade September 2, 2012
Reuters

 

• The US has approved a $330 million arms sale to China’s
  neighbor Taiwan, a move that could increase tensions between
  Beijing and Washington.
• The news comes as China said on Thursday that it was
  impossible to hold trade talks with the US with Washington’s new
  tariffs which were like “a knife to China’s
  neck.”
• China sees Taiwan as its sovereign territory and has
  previously warned the US not to sell weapons or establish close
  military links with the country.
• The sale will contribute to the “foreign policy and national
  security of the United States,” the Pentagon’s Defense Security
  Cooperation Agency said, adding that Taiwan “continues to be an
  important force for political stability, military balance and
  economic progress in the region.” A spokesperson for the
  presidential office of Taiwan said, it would boost confidence in
  the face of “severe” security challenges.

The United States has approved a $330 million arms deal with
China’s neighbor Taiwan, in a move set to further increase
tensions between Beijing and Washington amidst the escalating
trade war,
The South China Morning Post reported.

The news comes as China said on Tuesday that it was impossible to
hold trade talks with the US while Washington’s tariffs are
like “a knife to China’s neck,” following a
fresh $200 billion of tariffs on China, and US President Donald
Trump’s threat of $267 billion more.

The sale will contribute to the “foreign policy and national
security of the United States,” the Pentagon’s Defense Security
Cooperation Agency said, adding that Taiwan “continues to be an
important force for political stability, military balance and
economic progress in the region.”

Taiwan has welcomed the move, and said that the deal helps the
independent nation off the coast of China  strengthen its
defenses and deal with the challenges from Beijing. A
spokesperson for the presidential office of Taiwan said, it would
boost confidence in the face of “severe” security challenges,
adding “We greatly appreciate that the US government takes note
of the national security of Taiwan.”

China sees Taiwan as its sovereign territory, and as a breakaway
province that must be united with the mainland by force if
necessary. China has previously warned the US not to sell weapons
to the country or establish close military ties there,
the South China Morning Post reported.

The sale which is not yet finalized is the second under Trump
following a $1.4 billion sale in June 2017 that also prompted
anger from Beijing.

Critics of the deal in Washington said it bows to the wishes of
Chinese opposition including US defence secretary, Mike Pompeo
who criticised the Obama administration for delaying weapons
sales to the area.

Officials in Taipei and Washington say it is now likely that the
Trump administration will resume regular weapons sales to Taiwan,

the Financial Times reported.

The escalating tensions come in the context of China on Tuesday
rejecting an invitation for official talks in Washington, with
its vice commerce minister, Wang Shouwen saying, “Now that the US
has adopted this type of large-scale trade restrictions, they’re
holding a knife to someone’s throat. Under these circumstances,
how can negotiations proceed?”

The proposed arms deal which was announced on Tuesday by the
Pentagon and will be put before the US Congress would include
parts for F16 and F5 fighter jets, C130 cargo planes, Taiwan’s
Indigenous Defence Fighter, and other aircraft systems.