Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen dismisses ‘irresponsible remarks’ on US arms sale

Speaking during a stopover in New York, she says island is buying the weapons to ‘enhance national defence in order to protect our democracy’

Beijing announced it will impose sanctions on American companies involved in the latest US$2.2 billion deal

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Tsai Ing-wen said Taiwan was buying US weapons to “enhance national defence in order to protect our democracy and contribute to regional peace and stability”. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 10:43pm, 13 Jul 2019Updated: 11:21pm, 13 Jul 2019

Taiwan’s president has dismissed Beijing’s announcement it will impose sanctions on US firms involved in the latest arms sale to the island, a move analysts said was a warning to businesses on the issue.

President Tsai Ing-wen, during an unofficial stopover in New York on Friday, said Taiwan was buying US weapons to “enhance national defence in order to protect our democracy and contribute to regional peace and stability”.

“We don’t need our neighbour to make irresponsible remarks like that,” she told reporters, after giving a speech at Columbia University.

Tsai was referring to Beijing’s statement earlier on Friday that the arms sale had violated China’s territorial sovereignty and national security. Beijing said it would issue sanctions against the American companies involved in the latest US$2.2 billion arms sale to Taiwan, which it sees as a breakaway province to be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Washington on Monday approved the sale of 108 M1A2T Abrams tanks, 250 Stinger missiles and other military equipment to the self-ruled island, a deal mainly involving Raytheon Missile Systems and tanks contractor General Dynamics Land Systems.

The US deal with Taiwan includes 108 M1A2 Abrams tanks. Photo: Reuters