China has intensified combat patrol in the strait of Taiwan in response to the US approval of $2billion (£1.54bn) worth of arms sales to the self-governing island.
Washington approved the sale to the territory on which China lays a sovereignty claim of three units of the Raytheon-manufactured National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, costing $1.16 billion, and $828 million of radar systems.
In response, the Chinese Liberation Party (PLA) launched an intimidating show of force which saw at least 22 aircraft and seven warships patrolling the waters around the island.
Taiwanese authorities said the patrols, which also included drones, took place from Sunday to Monday.
The Taiwanese Defence Ministry believes at least seven warships crossed the “median line” in the Taiwan Strait, the unofficial border between China and Taiwan.
Most Western countries, including the UK, don’t formally recognise Taiwan as an independent state but oppose any attempt by the Chinese to annex it by force.
The future of the island has long been a contentious point of discussion in Chinese/US relations and the waters around the territory are regularly used by the PLA to conduct intimidating military exercises.
In response to the sale of weaponry to Taiwan, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has lodged an official complaint with the US.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said: “The sales seriously undermine China’s sovereignty and security interests, harm China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and send a gravely wrong message to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.”
In response, the Pentagon said: “This proposed sale serves US national, economic and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability.
“The proposed sale will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance and economic progress in the region.”
The Raytheon missile defence system “provides advanced sensors and interceptors to identify, track and defeat threats as part of a layered missile defence.”
The system has previously been given to Ukraine in their ongoing war against Russia and is a significant upgrade on anything the Taiwanese currently possess.
US intelligence has long believed that the annexation of Taiwan is one of President Xi Jinping’s long term strategic aims, a move that could potentially bring the US and China into indirect conflict.
China has consistently warned that any attempt by Taiwan to declare independence would be considered a “red line” that would trigger war.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te thanked the US for the weapons, claiming that “strengthening Taiwan’s self-defence capabilities is the foundation for maintaining regional stability.”
Earlier this month, the PLA conducted military drills around the island which were larger than had been seen for many years.
