A deal for the four drones, ground stations, spares, training and support could be worth around US$600 mil. FMTNews Taiwan
WASHINGTON: The US is negotiating the sale of at least four of its large sophisticated aerial drones to Taiwan for the first time, according to six US sources familiar with the negotiations, in a deal that is likely to ratchet up tensions with China.
It would be the first drone sale after President Donald Trump’s administration moved ahead with its plan to sell more drones to more countries by reinterpreting an international arms control agreement called the Missile Technology Control Regime . A deal for the four drones, ground stations, spares, training and support could be worth around US$600 million using previous sales as a guide. There could also be options for additional units in the future, one of the people said.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory, and Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring the self-ruled island under its control. Beijing has denounced the Trump administration’s increased support for Taiwan. “As a matter of policy we do not comment on or confirm proposed defence sales or transfers until they have been formally notified to Congress,” a State Department spokesman said.The US has been eager to sell Taiwan tanks and fighter jets, but the deal to sell drones would be notable since only a few close allies — including Britain, Italy, Australia, Japan and South Korea — have been allowed to purchase the largest US-made drones.
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