US to sell US$180 million worth of submarine-launched torpedoes to Taiwan

Arms will help island to act as a ‘deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen homeland defence’, US state department says

Announcement comes after Tsai Ing-wen vows to bolster Taiwan’s defences amid rising tensions with Beijing

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The US is set to sell Taiwan 18 heavyweight torpedoes as the self-ruled island looks to upgrade its defence capabilities. Photo: Reuters

Published: 1:00pm, 21 May 2020Updated: 3:19pm, 21 May 2020

The United States is set to agree the sale of US$180 million worth of submarine-launched torpedoes to Taiwan, as the island’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, vowed during her second inauguration ceremony to bolster its defences.

In a move likely to further inflame tensions between Beijing and Washington, the US Department of State said on Wednesday that it had approved the possible sale of 18 MK-48 Mod 6 Advanced Technology heavyweight torpedoes, which feature advanced sonar targeting for submarines, along with support equipment and related logistics support.

The arms would help Taiwan to act “as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen homeland defence”, and serve US interests by supporting Taiwan’s “continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability”, according to the Defence Security Cooperation Agency, which handles foreign arms sales.

“The proposed sale will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance and economic progress in the region,” it said.

The announcement came on the same day Tsai officially started her second term as president. During her inauguration speech she promised to push for national defence reforms and ensure peaceful cross-strait relations with Beijing, which has not renounced the use of force to assert its sovereignty over the self-ruled island.

Both Taipei and Beijing had “a duty to find a way to coexist over the long term”, she said, while stressing the need for stability across the Taiwan Strait but rejecting Beijing’s proposal of a “one country, two systems” model of semi-autonomy for Taiwan.