US approves $300M support for Taiwan's tactical information systems

The U.S. State Department has approved a $300 million sale of equipment to help maintain Taiwan's tactical information systems, the Pentagon said on Friday, the latest U.S. assistance for the island's defenses, Report informs, citing Reuters.

The United States is bound by law to provide Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, with the means to defend. Arms sales are a frequent source of tension between Washington and Beijing.

The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the sale was for follow-on life cycle support to maintain Taiwan's Command, Control, Communications and Computers, or C4, capabilities.

The support would improve Taiwan's capability to "meet current and future threats by enhancing operational readiness" and maintain existing C4 capabilities that provide secure flow of tactical information, it added.

Taiwan's defense ministry said the sale would help maintain the effectiveness of its joint combat command and control systems so it can improve battlefield awareness.