by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Taiwan has told the incoming Trump administration it is interested in securing a massive $15 billion military weapons deal with the United States, the Financial Times reported exclusively on Tuesday (November 12).
Taiwanese defense has been brought to the forefront of the world stage amid heightened tensions with China, whose government denies Taiwan’s independence and wants to annex the island nation through war if necessary.
Citing anonymous Taiwanese official sources, the FT said Taipei’s inquiries about a defense deal include interest in procuring the Aegis destroyer, and possibly 60 F-35s, four Advanced Hawkeyes, 10 retired vessels and 400 Patriot missiles.
“There are quite a few big platforms and other items that our armed forces have had their eyes on for a long time, but have not been able to acquire, so there’s a lot to choose from,” a Taiwanese official source told the FT.
In its report, the FT quoted US-Taiwan Business Council president Rupert Hammond-Chambers as noting that such a large deal “could look like a down payment that would attempt to get off on the right foot with the new administration.”
Reporting on the matter, the Taipei Times noted: “In his first term, Trump approved 11 packages to Taiwan worth US$21 billion, including F-16 jets and tanks, with the administration under US President Joe Biden also approving US$7 billion in deals.”
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest Stories from Worthy News
President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday night that he had a “productive conversation” with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo about combating the illegal flow of fentanyl into the United States and addressing illegal immigration. Trump added that Mexico had agreed to take immediate action to prevent illegal immigrants from reaching the southern border.
The FBI announced Wednesday that it is investigating bomb threats and “swatting” incidents, as well as other threats, targeting several of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees and administration appointees.
The Israeli government is set to sign an important new deal with Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems company for the purchase of a ground-breaking personal laser defense system to protect infantry soldiers serving with the Israel Defense Forces, Ynet News reports.
There was hope Tuesday for at least some of the thousands of Christians held as “bonded labors” in Islamic-ruled Pakistan, with Christian aid workers telling Worthy News they freed 100 Christian families ahead of Christmas.
Israel will appeal the arrest warrants issued last week by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the Jerusalem Post reports.