Biden to Ask Congress to Approve $1.1 Billion Arms Sale to Taiwan - Reports

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The Biden administration plans to ask Congress to approve a $1.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan that includes hundreds of missiles for fighter jets and anti-ship systems, Politico reported citing three sources familiar with the matter.

The sale would include 60 anti-ship Harpoon missiles, 100 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, and a surveillance radar contract extension, the report said on Monday.

The deal, which is still in its early stages, comprises a $355 million purchase of 60 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II missiles, a $85.6 million purchase of 100 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder tactical air-to-air missiles, and a $655.4 million extension of a surveillance radar contract.

The Sidewinder missiles will equip Taiwan's F-16 fighter jets, which are American-made.

According to Politico, the sale cannot be completed until the Biden administration formally notifies the Democratic chair and Republican ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Although the procedure may take longer than expected given the current congressional recess, the lawmakers are likely to approve the deal, per the publication.

After the report emerged, the Chinese embassy in the US told Sputnik that it would demand that the US stop selling arms to Taiwan because it fundamentally violates the "one China" principle.

"The US side needs to immediately stop arms sales to and military contact with Taiwan, stop creating factors that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait, and follow through on the US government statement of not supporting 'Taiwan independence,'" embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said on Monday.

In addition, China demands that the United States stop military contacts with Taiwan in order to avoid further tension in the region. Moreover, Beijing will continue to take resolute and strong measures to firmly defend Chinese sovereignty and security interests.

Earlier in the day, White House National Security Council strategic communications coordinator John Kirby said at a briefing that Washington intends to continue to provide security assistance to the island, although the US still does not support the idea of it gaining independence.

The situation around Taiwan escalated after the visit to the island of the US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. China, which considers the island one of its provinces, condemned the visit, seeing the move as US support for Taiwanese separatism, and launched large-scale military exercises.

In Washington, fears have grown in recent years that China is preparing to annex Taiwan militarily. As a result, the US and other Western countries have worked to strengthen Taiwan's defenses and provide it with financial and other aid.

The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, which stated that the US would not establish official diplomatic relations with Taipei, laid forth the so-called One China policy, which the US has repeatedly declared adherence to despite the officials' visits to the island.

The "strategic ambiguity" theory, which the US uses to purposefully avoid stating whether it would militarily defend Taiwan against an invasion, was also developed by the TRA.