Biden plans to sell Taiwan US$1.1 bln in weapons: US media

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United States (US) President Joe Biden - Photo from Reuters
TAIPEI - United States (US) President Joe Biden plans to propose the sale of a US$1.1 billion weapons package to Taiwan that includes 60 anti-ship missiles and 100 air-to-air missiles.

The package would include 60 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II missiles for US$355 million, 100 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder tactical air-to-air missiles for US$85.6 million and an extension of a surveillance radar contract worth US$655.4 million, reported the Central News Agency citing Politico, a US based media outlet.

The Sidewinder missiles will arm Taipei's U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, the report said in an exclusive report citing three sources with direct knowledge of the package.

A State Department spokesperson declined to comment on the report.

"As a matter of policy, we do not publicly comment or confirm proposed defence sales until they have new formally notified to Congress," the spokesperson told CNA.

The arms sale would come at a time of high tensions in the Taiwan Strait and more broadly in East Asia as China's military continues to conduct manoeuvres in the region and threaten the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. - BERNAMA