US ‘prepares to sell over US$2 billion worth of tanks and weapons to Taiwan’

Washington is pursuing the sale of more than US$2 billion worth of tanks and weapons to Taiwan, four people familiar with the negotiations said, in a move likely to anger Beijing as the trade war between the world’s two biggest economies escalates.

An informal notification of the proposed sale has been sent to the US Congress, the four sources said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak about the possible deal.

The potential sale included 108 General Dynamics M1A2 Abrams tanks worth around US$2 billion as well as anti-tank and anti-aircraft munitions, three of the sources said. Taiwan has been interested in refreshing its existing US-made battle tank inventory which includes M60 Patton tanks.

Washington is the main arms supplier to Taiwan, the self-governed island that Beijing deems its own. China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said in March that the United States was responding positively to Taipei’s requests for new arms sales to bolster its defences in the face of pressure from Beijing. The United States has no formal ties with Taiwan, but is bound by law to help provide it with the means to defend itself.