Presidential Office thanks Biden administration for announcing its 11th military sale to Taiwan
On August 23 (US EST), the United States government announced that it had notified Congress of the US$500 million sale to Taiwan of F-16 Infrared Search and Track (IRST) systems and related equipment, which is expected to come formally into effect in one month. In response to this announcement, Presidential Office Spokesperson Olivia Lin (林聿禪) said on August 24 that the Presidential Office is grateful to the US government for continuing to fulfill its security commitments to Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances by providing Taiwan with defensive weaponry.
Spokesperson Lin noted that this is the 11th military sale to Taiwan announced since President Joe Biden took office and is the third such sale this year. The spokesperson stated that the IRST systems purchased can further enhance long-range detection and tracking capabilities in fighter jets, substantially improve the effectiveness of air operations, and strengthen our national defense resilience, helping us maintain regional stability.
The spokesperson said that Taiwan will continue to demonstrate our firm commitment to self-defense and bolster our all-out defense capabilities to uphold our national security and protect our interests. She added that we will also further strengthen our close defense partnership with the US and continue to work with like-minded countries to maintain peace, stability, development, and prosperity in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region at large.