Former Taiwanese defense minister Feng Shih-kuan has warned that the island will pay a price for accepting free weapons provided by the United States, Report informs, citing South China Morning Post.
“If you suddenly receive such free aid, you need to pay a certain unthinkable price,” Feng told reporters on Thursday when asked to comment on the plan.
Earlier this month, the White House said it would send US$500 million worth of free military aid to Taiwan after deliveries of American weapons, including Stinger missiles and F-16V fighter jets, were delayed.
The US authorized the sale of 250 Stingers to Taiwan in 2019 but the shoulder-mounted missiles have been in demand in Ukraine.
Taiwan’s Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said last Monday that the US had been in talks with the island for several months over the type of free weapons that would be provided.
A Taiwanese military source said the package of free weapons would include portable Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, TOW 2B Aero anti-tank missiles, and new Javelin mid-range anti-armor missiles.