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anti-aircraft gun, a legacy weapon made by year, the Biden administration approved the potential sale of 40
Bofors, has also been deployed in the area. 155mm M109A6 Medium Self-Propelled Howitzer artillery systems
Israeli military drones too are in the region. to Taiwan in a deal valued at up to US$750 million. The proposed
sale follows an even bigger one in in 2020, when the U.S. gave the
go ahead for a US$5 billion sale of 100 Boeing-made Harpoon [ REPORT ]
Countries on the Move Coastal Defense Systems and four unmanned aerial systems.
In September, Australia announced that it
would build eight nuclear-powered submarines Japan, meanwhile, has invested in long-rage range air-launched
under an Indo-Pacific security partnership with weapons and is currently working on an enhanced version of a
the United States and Britain, just a day after truck-mounted anti-ship missile that will have a range of 1,000 km. In
scrapping a US$40 billion deal with France to 2020, the U.S. State Department approved a massive US$23 billion
develop conventional submarines to replace deal to sell 105 F-35 fighter jets to the country, including 63 F-35A
its ageing Collins-class fleet. Australia is only conventional takeoff and landing aircraft and 42 F-35 short takeoff
the second country after Britain in 1958 to be and landing variants. Provided the proposed sale goes ahead as
given access to U.S. nuclear technology to build planned, Japan will become the biggest international customer of
nuclear-powered submarines, a clear indication the Lockheed Martin jet with 147 F-35s, with the U.K just behind
of the U.S. strengthening its bond with its allies with 138 such jets.
to thwart China.
Although an unpredictable and aggressive North Korea remains
Eager to strengthen its long-range strike capa- its greatest worry, South Korea’s is also keeping an eye on China
bilities, Australia is also planning to deploy
Tomahawk cruise missiles deployed on naval
destroyers and air-to-surface missiles on FA-18
Hornet jets. The country will also work with the
U.S. to develop hypersonic missiles and plans to
buy 29 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters from
Boeing in a contract worth up to US$3.5 billion.
"Our world is becoming more complex, espe-
cially here in our region, the Indo-Pacific," said
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. "To
meet these challenges, to help deliver the secu-
rity and stability our region needs, we must now
take our partnership to a new level."

Worried by China’s seemingly never-ending
military build-up, Taiwan is speeding up its mil-
itary modernization plans and intends to spend
an additional US$8.69 billion) over the next
five years on new weapons and on upgrad-
ing existing ones. As part of the country’s plan
to enhance the capabilities of its indigenous
defence industry, the new arms would all be
made domestically. According to media reports,
the country wants to induct a new upgraded
version of the Hsiung Sheng cruise missile,
one with a range of up to 1,200 km. Among
the weapons in Taiwan’s shopping list are cruise
missiles and warships. As part of its attempts
to enhance its military might, Taiwan has been
testing new, long-range missiles off its south-
ern and eastern coasts. The country’s military
also recently introduced a new class of stealth
warship and is developing its own submarines.

The U.S. Angle
Intent on piling on pressure on its main adver-
sary, the U.S. has, despite China’s opposition,
been supplying arms to Taiwan. In August this

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