The Taiwanese authorities have signed a contract for the purchase of 400 anti-ship missiles from Boeing. On this subject informed Bloomberg, citing Rupert Hammond-Chambers, head of the US-Taiwan Business Council, and sources.
According to the agency, there is talk for the first time of ground-based missiles. Taiwan used to buy Harpoon for use on ships.
The US Department of Defense announced the $1.7 billion contract on April 7, but the buyer was not named at that time. This purchase completes the agreement approved by the United States Congress in 2020. The State Department has agreed to sell $2.4 billion worth of Harpoon missiles to Taiwan.
On April 13, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said China was likely preparing for military operations against Taiwan. The minister made such a statement the next day after the completion of the Chinese army’s military exercises near the island. Earlier, the US military raised the high likelihood of a military conflict in Taiwan by 2025.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry chief said China was likely preparing for an invasion. Should we wait for the war between Beijing and Taipei
Taiwan declared its secession from the PRC in 1949, during the civil war. The Chinese authorities do not recognize the island’s independence, consider it their province and accuse American politicians of disrespecting the country’s territorial integrity. Chinese President Xi Jinping has also not ruled out returning the island to control by force.
On April 8, Beijing announced it was holding a three-day military exercise near Taiwan in response to island nation President Tsai Ing-wen’s trip to the United States, which had taken place days earlier.
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