The Taiwanese Government has been given the green light to purchase arms, equipment and related services from the US State Department. This was announced in recent hours by the US Defense and Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which informed the US Congress. 

The deal is worth 100 million dollars and involves the purchase of upgrades to the Patriot Air Defense System, a missile defence system. The Ministry of Defence in Taipei said the agreement is expected to take effect within a month. This decision is a formalisation of an agreement signed during a 2019 meeting between US and Asian officials.

The arms deal was approved to "help improve the safety/security" of Taiwan and "maintain political stability, military and economic balance, and progress in the region", Washington said. Beijing, which claims sovereignty over the rebel-held island, is threatening angry retaliation.

On the same subject, see also the article published by AVIONEWS.