The United States (U.S.) has approved a potential $2 billion arms sale to Taiwan, the Pentagon said.
The package for the island, which is claimed by China, includes for the first time an advanced air defense missile system that was tested in Ukraine.
The U.S. is obliged by law to provide Taiwan with defense resources even though Washington and Taipei do not have diplomatic relations.
China has stepped up military pressure on Taiwan, including holding a new round of military exercises around the island last week, the second since Lai Ching-te took office as Taiwan’s president in May.
The U.S. package includes the advanced medium-range NASAMS surface-to-air missile system and modern extended-range AMRAAM surface-to-air missiles, the Pentagon said.
Australia and Indonesia are the only countries in the region that currently possess the NASAMS missile system.
