Members from both parties are making a new push to end a years-long problem between Washington and Taipei.
Missiles are an acute need of Taiwan’s, as Taipei competes with Ukraine, Poland and other countries in awaiting orders. | Brenden Delgado/U.S. ArmyLawmakers in both parties have joined forces in a new push to speed up weapons deliveries to Taiwan as the island nation suffers from a years-long, $19 billion backlog of U.S. systems.The lawmakers, who are wary of China’s aggressive moves in the region, want to allow Taiwan to build some U.S.
Coproduction, however, carries risks, and experts cite concerns that the sensitive technology could be leaked to China, which already heavily harvests intelligence from Taiwan., the committee’s outgoing chair, floated shifting the production of U.S. aerial and underwater drones to Taiwan to speed up their deployment to Taiwanese military units.
The Defense Department declined to comment on the possibility of weapons’ coproduction deals with Taiwan. U.S. policy “makes available to Taiwan defense articles and services necessary to enable it to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability,” said a Pentagon spokesperson who was granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Taiwan authorities are trying to reverse those perceptions. Military officials “provide counterintelligence training to our soldiers… allow us to detect suspicious activities early on,” Taiwan’s Defense Ministry But U.S. defense technology firms may applaud moves to bridge the bureaucratic divide that stands in the way of Taiwan weapons production partnerships. “My understanding of the thinking of Raytheon and other places is that they’re ready to expand what they’re doing, but they need the U.S. government to support it,” said Wallace “Chip” Gregson, assistant defense secretary for Asian and Pacific security affairs in the Obama administration.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Nebraska lawmakers pass bill that would allow smaller school districts to arm staff membersNebraska's rural school districts could soon be protected by armed staff members, thanks to one of several bills passed by state lawmakers near the end of legislative session.
Read more »
San Diego wants to build a sprawling electric vehicle charging network — but council members have questionsDepending on the results of a complex revenue-sharing agreement, the city could owe as much as $60 million in reimbursement costs for the infrastructure installed
Read more »
Lawmakers in Thailand approve bill to legalize same-sex marriageLawmakers in Thailand's lower house of Parliament overwhelmingly approved a marriage equality bill on Wednesday that would make the country the first in…
Read more »
It's full STEAM ahead for ‘Imaginology,' a free build/make/dream festival for kidsThe Costa Mesa weekend is all about imagination-building activities and trying cool new pursuits.
Read more »
Thailand's lawmakers pass bill to legalize same-sex marriage by overwhelming majorityLawmakers in Thailand’s lower house of Parliament have overwhelmingly approved a marriage equality bill hat would make the country the first in Southeast Asia to legalize equal rights for marriage partners of any gender
Read more »
Oil prices slide on signs of bumper build in US inventoriesOil prices slide on signs of bumper build in US inventories
Read more »