The U.S. State Department has made a decision to approve a possible military sale of approximately $280 million worth of Field Information Communications System (FICS) and related equipment to Taiwan.
The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a press release on Monday (Dec. 7), “The DSCA today submitted the necessary certifications to notify Congress of this potential sale.”
The press release states that the sale would include resources and equipment related to field information communications systems, program management support, validation testing, tools and test equipment, and personnel training and training equipment.
The DSCA said that the proposed sale is intended to allow Taiwan’s military to continue to modernize and maintain a reliable defense capability, which is in the U.S. national, economic, and security interests, and that the sale will help improve Taiwan’s security and maintain political stability, military balance, and economic and progress in the region.
The DSCA also stated that the proposed arms sale is designed to provide mobile and secure communications. It will contribute to Taiwan’s goal of modernizing its military communications capabilities to support its mission and operational needs. Taiwan would have no difficulty integrating these systems into its military.
The U.S.-Taiwan Business Association welcomes the sale of field information and communications systems and related equipment to Taiwan.
Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Association, said in a statement, “We welcome the announcement of this program, which demonstrates that Taiwan’s military continues to modernize its military network backbone, providing better communications for its troops and enhancing its joint warfighting capabilities.”
This is President Trump’s sixth military sale to Taiwan this year, and his 11th since taking office. William Brent Christensen, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the de facto official U.S. representative in Taiwan, has also said that there will be more U.S. arms sales to Taiwan next year.
Beijing strongly opposes the U.S. arms sale to Taiwan. Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said last month: “The U.S. arms sale to Taiwan seriously violates the one-China principle and the three U.S.-China joint communiques, seriously endangers China’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, seriously challenges China’s core interests, and seriously undermines Sino-U.S. military relations as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, which China firmly opposes and strongly condemns. ”
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