The United States has approved the sale of a US$280 million Field Information Communications System to Taiwan to help modernise the island’s armed forces and maintain a credible defensive capability. The US State Department notified Congress of the possible sale, which consists of 154 communications nodes, 24 communication relays, eight network management systems, and related equipment plus personnel training, technical and logistic support, according to the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency on Monday. Stressing that the proposed sale was consistent with US law and policy, the agency said the deal would help to improve the island’s security and assist it in “maintaining political stability, military balance, economic and progress in the region”. Taiwan, US count on giant radar system for early warning if PLA attacks “This proposed sale is designed to provide mobile and secure communications. It will contribute to the recipient’s goal to modernise its military communications capability in support of their mission and operational needs.” The agency added the deal would “not alter the basic military balance in the region”. The proposed sale is expected to become effective in 30 days after going through Congress notification procedures. It is the first since the US presidential election in November. Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Tuesday the proposed sale signalled there was no change in the US commitment to help secure Taiwan’s overall defence capability and consolidate its security partnership with the island to maintain peace and stability in the region. The Taiwanese presidential office welcomed the announcement and said it reflected Washington’s firm commitment to the island’s self-defence and was in line with the US Taiwan Relations Act and the “Six Assurances” which underpin their security partnership. Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the US-Taiwan Business Council – an important platform for US and Taiwan officials to exchange views on possible arms sales to the island – said the deal would help Taiwan’s military continue to modernise its military network backbone, providing its forces with improved communications and strengthened interoperability. Mei Fu-hsing, director of the Taiwan Security Analysis Centre, a US-based security consulting agency, said the system was efficient in providing and supporting mobile, secured voice and data communications between command centres and troops in the field. Meanwhile, speaking at the opening of a seminar in Taipei on Tuesday, President Tsai Ing-wen criticised Beijing for challenging international peace and order by expanding its military force and activities in the South China Sea . “Facing military threats from the other side of the Taiwan Strait every day, Taiwan perfectly understands the security threats and pressure [from the mainland], and realises the importance of the need in safeguarding energy and communication security areas,” she said. Tsai called for further cooperation with the US and Japan to cope with conventional or non-conventional security issues in the region. US-China-Taiwan: how will Biden change the balance? The latest proposed sale is expected to provoke Beijing, which has warned the US against selling arms to Taiwan and denounced it for violating the one-China policy which Washington committed to observing after it switched formal recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. On Monday, Taiwan’s deputy defence minister Chang Che-ping, revealed the US was expected to approve two more arms deals worth US$800 million for Taiwan next year. “The two sales have yet to go through the Congress … and the total amount would be around US$800 million,” he said in a legislature review meeting on Monday. He declined to name the weapons, but local military experts said they could be the M109A6 Paladin self-propelled howitzer and smart mines. Since May, the US has approved the sales of US$5.58 billion worth of arms to Taiwan, including MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, M142 launchers, Harpoon coastal missiles, MK48 (Mod 6 AT) torpedoes and AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER missiles.