US is set to clear the sale of General Atomics drones besides cruise missiles and mines in a major boost to Taiwanese defense capabilities even as Beijing commenced joint maritime and aerial exercises and combat-readiness patrols in the Taiwan Strait.
On Taiwan’s shopping list are seven items including weapons packages from Lockheed Martin Co, Boeing Co and General Atomics. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will brief Trump on Taiwan’s arms packages this week.
Some of the deals had been requested by Taiwan more than a year ago, but are only now being moved through the approval process. If signed, it will be rare departure from years of precedent in which US military sales to Taiwan were spaced out and carefully calibrated to minimize tensions with Beijing.