TAIPEI, March 13 (Reuters) – Taiwan’s parliament on Friday authorised the government to sign U.S. agreements for four arms sales packages, after officials warned that Taipei would go to the back of the line if it missed the deadline.
The back and forth on Taiwan’s defence spending has provoked concern in the United States, as it is the most important international backer and arms supplier of the Chinese-claimed island, despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties.
President Lai Ching-te’s government has tried to get parliament to pass $40 billion in extra defence spending but the opposition, which controls the most seats, says the proposals are unclear, and it cannot be expected to pass “blank cheques” despite supporting defence.
Both opposition parties have come up with their own, less expensive proposals, but the defence ministry has said the letters of offer and acceptance for the weapons with the United States have to be signed or Taiwan would lose its place in the production and delivery queue.
After lawmakers from both sides agreed on Thursday that the government could still sign the agreements in advance, even if the reviews of the spending proposals are not approved in time, parliament formally gave its legal authorisation.
The authorisation was passed unanimously and announced by parliament speaker Han Kuo-yu.
“This body upholds the principle of placing national security first and firmly defending territorial integrity,” Han said, reading out the wording of the resolution.
Once the government signs the letters it should submit to parliament for revenue a “complete report on the delivery schedule for the relevant weapons”, he added.
The weapons to be signed for include TOW anti-tank missiles, M109A7 self-propelled howitzers, Lockheed Martin-made Javelin missiles and the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system.
Wang Ting-yu, a lawmaker for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party who sits on parliament’s defence committee, welcomed the move.
“The advance authorisation to sign before the budget is reviewed is intended to ensure that Taiwan’s acquisition of these important systems is not delayed or cancelled,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
On Tuesday, Defence Minister Wellington Koo told reporters the letters of offer and acceptance for 82 HIMARS systems the U.S. announced as part of an $11-billion arms sale package for Taiwan would expire on March 26.
Sunday is the deadline to sign for the other weapons systems, the ministry says.
The Trump administration has pressed allies to increase defence spending, a plank Lai and his government have enthusiastically embraced.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Roger Tung; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
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