Taiwan Seeks To Buy 108 M1A2 Abrams Tanks From US Worth Almost $1Bln - Reports

Taiwan is planning to buy 108 M1A2 Abrams tanks worth almost $1Bln from the United States, local media reported on Monday

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th April, 2019) Taiwan is planning to buy 108 M1A2 Abrams tanks worth almost $1Bln from the United States, local media reported on Monday.

According to Focus Taiwan news channel, the Taiwanese Armed Forces have more than 1,000 tanks, mostly of M60A3 and CM-11 models. Once Washington approves he deal, 108 M1A2 Abrams tanks will enter service within the Sixth Army Corps, which secures safety of northern Taiwan, where most of the central government establishments are situated.

At the beginning of March, Taiwanese Deputy Defense Minister Shen Yi-ming said that in order to increase its defense capabilities Taiwan had made a formal request to the United States for new fighter jets.

On March 28, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said her government was also seeking to buy tanks.

Taiwan is an island nation off the southern coast of China that has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949. Beijing views the island as its province, while Taiwan maintains that it is an autonomous state, having political and economic relations with several other countries that recognize its sovereignty.

China stands against US arms deals with Taiwan. In September 2018, when Washington approved a $330 million sale of military spare parts to Taiwan, China claimed that the United States' actions threatened Beijing's sovereignty and security interests.