By Mike Stone
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of 100 Boeing-made Harpoon Coastal Defense Systems to Taiwan in a deal that has a potential value of up to $2.37 billion, the Pentagon said on Monday.
The move comes days after the State Department approved the potential sale of three other weapons systems to Taiwan, including sensors, missiles and artillery that could have a total value of $1.8 billion which prompted a sanctions threat from China.
Earlier on Monday in Beijing, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman told reporters China will impose sanctions on Lockheed Martin, Boeing Defense, Raytheon and other U.S. companies it says are involved in Washington’s arms sales to Taiwan.
The U.S. moves come as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on China in the runup to the Nov. 3 presidential election and concerns rise about Beijing’s intentions toward Taiwan. Beijing sees Taiwan as a renegade province that it has vowed to reunite with the mainland, by force if necessary.
(Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington, D.C. additional reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Chris Reese and Matthew Lewis)
