HomeChina Taiwan conflictUS to sell Taiwan Anti-Tank system amid rising China threat

US to sell Taiwan Anti-Tank system amid rising China threat







Source : Associated Press (AP)

US to sell Taiwan Anti-Tank system amid rising China threat
Representative Image


Washington: The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of an anti-tank mine-laying system to Taiwan amid the rising military threat from China.

The department on Wednesday said the Volcano system and all related equipment would cost an estimated $180 million.

It’s capable of scattering anti-tank and anti-personnel mines from either a ground vehicle or helicopter, the type of weapon some experts believe Taiwan needs more of to dissuade or repel a potential Chinese invasion.

To advertise that threat, China’s military sent 71 planes and seven ships toward Taiwan in a 24-hour display of force directed at the self-ruled island it claims is its own territory, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said Monday.

China’s military harassment of Taiwan has intensified in recent years, along with rhetoric from top leaders that the island has no choice but to accept eventual Chinese rule.

That has seen the ruling Communist Party’s increasingly powerful military wing, the People’s Liberation Army, send planes or ships toward the island on a near-daily basis.

Between 6 a.m. Sunday and 6 a.m. Monday, 47 of the Chinese planes crossed the median of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial boundary once tacitly accepted by both sides, according to the Defense Ministry.

That came after China expressed anger at Taiwan-related provisions in a U.S. annual defense spending bill in what has come to be a standard Chinese practice.

China conducted large-scale live-fire military exercises in August in response to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. Beijing views visits from foreign governments to the island as de facto recognition of Taiwan as independent and a challenge to China’s claim of sovereignty.

While Washington has only unofficial ties with Taiwan in deference to Beijing, those include robust defense exchanges and military sales.

In its announcement, the State Department said the Volcano sale “serves U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability.”

It said Taiwan would have “no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces,” and that the sale would “not alter the basic military balance in the region.”

Analysts differ over what Taiwan’s defense priorities should be, with some calling for big-ticket items such as advanced fighter jets.

Others argue for a more flexible force, heavily armed with land-based missile systems to target enemy ships, planes and landing craft. China’s overwhelming numerical advantage in personnel and equipment give Taiwan little choice but to opt for that more “asymmetric” approach, they say.

RELATED ARTICLES

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Aatmanirbhar Bharat

All

Dept of defence production issues notification for reorganisation of DGQA

The defence ministry has issued a notification for "reorganisation" of the Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) aimed at speeding up quality assurance processes...

First Tejas Mk1A aircraft takes shape: First Glimpse of tail number LA-5033 viral on X platform

Source : IgMp Bureau The Indian Air Force's (IAF) indigenous fighter jet program, the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, has reached a significant milestone with...

AMCA 5th Generation Stealth Fighter Updates

India’s Cost-Effective Approach to Developing AMCA Indigenous 5th Generation Stealth Fighter

Source : IgMp Bureau India has recently approved its ambitious Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program, which aims to develop a domestic 5th-generation fighter jet....

HAL Proposes Existing Facility for AMCA 5th Generation Stealth Fighter Production Under SPV Model

Source : IgMp Bureau India’s AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft) program has received a significant boost with government approval for its development. This 5th generation...

Most Popular

Recent Comments

Archive Months

Miscellanous

Indian Air Force to issue RFP for MRFA in mid-2024

Source : Indian Defence Updates (IDU)Representative ImageAccording to a media report, the Indian Air Force's MRFA tender to procure 114 fighter jets might finally...

Cochin Shipyard Supports Maritime Start-ups with Rs. 90 Lakhs in Seed Funding

Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has taken a significant step in fostering maritime start-ups by awarding seed funding totaling Rs. 90 lakhs to three promising...

HAL gets contract to supply 2 Dornier Multi Mission Maritime Patrol Aircraft to Indian Coast Guard

Source : Asian News International (ANI) HAL gets contract to supply 2 Dornier Multi Mission Maritime Patrol Aircraft to Indian Coast Guard New Delhi : The...

South Korean company Hanwha offers upgraded K9A2 SPH to Indian Army

Source : Indian Defence Updates (IDU) South Korean company Hanwha offers upgraded K9A2 SPH to Indian Army At a time when the Indian Army is planning...
Visits
error: Content is protected !!