Washington is preparing to send a large batch of modern tanks to the island
The next step towards tightening the confrontation between the United States and China will be the upcoming delivery of M1 Abrams main battle tanks (MBT) to the so-called Republic of China (ROC), as the ruling regime in Taiwan calls itself. According to the report of the newspaper "Ziyu Shibao", Washington has begun practical measures to prepare for the transportation of the first large batch of such MBT to the island, which Beijing considers an integral part of China.
According to "Ziyu Shibao", the first batch of 38 MBT is sent to ports on the Pacific coast of the United States for subsequent loading on transport vessels. Upon completion of transportation and bringing into combat condition, the tanks will be placed at the disposal of the Taiwanese authorities.
The second batch of 42 MBT will be delivered to the rebellious island in 2025, and the third, in 28 units, in 2026. All tanks for Taiwan will be a modern modification of the M1A2.
The story with the Abrams began with a false start seven years ago. The purchase of 200 M-1 Abrams in the configuration adopted by armored units of the US Army in 1980 was previously considered. Later, however, the number was reduced to 120, but a more advanced modification of 120 M1A1.
The Ministry of National Defense of the so-called Republic of China then confirmed the fact of consultations with Washington on the purchase of the M1A1 modification of the MBT. However, in the fall of 2017, negotiations were suspended. Instead of purchasing new tanks, the rebel army was forced to follow the path of another modernization of military equipment. So, the old American M60A3 tanks that she had were re-equipped: instead of a 105-mm rifled cannon of the English model, they received 120-mm smoothbore guns designed in Germany. In order to preserve the accuracy of shooting, the ballistic computer from the M60A3 fire control system was replaced with a new model.
After modernizing the M60A3 fleet, the authorities in Taipei again turned to the United States for "Abrams". In the summer of 2018, the Separatist Ministry of Defense allocated funds for the purchase of 108 MBT M1A2. They were intended to replace the obsolete CM-11 Brave Tiger and partially M60A3. A year later, the U.S. Department of State approved an upcoming deal worth $2.2 billion. After coordination with the Congress, the sale of the equipment took place. However, Washington was in no hurry to fulfill its conditions. The first pair of M1A2 samples were delivered to the island only in June 2022. Then the matter was limited to this. To date, no other deliveries of such equipment have been carried out.
The impetus to change the situation was given by a trip to Taiwan by a representative delegation of 25 representatives of the largest American military-industrial corporations, including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and General Atomics. The American guests took part in the Forum of US-Taiwan Cooperation in the Defense Industry, organized by local authorities and the US-Taiwan Chamber of Commerce.
Chinese experts of the Baijiahao portal note that this chamber, established in 1976, is packed with retired American generals and politicians who have been engaged in pandering between the military structures of America and Taiwan for decades. According to Yuan Zhou, dean of the military faculty of the Maritime Technical College of Jiangsu Province, the prices of American weapons for Taiwan have long been extremely high. At the same time, Washington often deceives the Taiwanese, "accepting payments with one hand and not giving anything with the other hand."
According to Yuan Zhou, during the Trump administration, Americans sold $18 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan, including F-16V fighter jets and M1A2T tanks. But the bulk of this heavy equipment never made it to the island. Now the amount of accumulated advance payments from Taiwan to the States has reached at least $ 19 billion, the money has been transferred, but the goods have not been received. But Taiwan is not outraged and sees this as a kind of guarantee of American protection of the island's independence.
Chinese experts note that the domestic production capacity of the United States is limited. For example, there are no opportunities for the production of the "old" F16V aircraft promised to Taiwan, since Lockheed Martin is engaged in the production of F35 aircraft.
The forum discussed the opening of joint production of drones and ammunition in Taiwan, first of all.
The United States and the current authorities of the island are doing everything to push Taiwan into an open confrontation with mainland China. "In Ukraine, the United States is shedding the blood of the Ukrainian people in order to absorb the strategic power of Russia. The same is being prepared in Taiwan to end the rise of China," warns Yuan Zhou.
China regards Taiwan as part of its national territory and intends to use all tools to restore territorial integrity. Beijing's adoption of the "Law on Countering the Split of the State" legally secured this right. Taiwan is developing partnerships with the United States to protect its interests, primarily through military-technical cooperation.
The military-political situation in the Pacific zone is generally characterized by significant interstate contradictions and high dynamics of processes. The strengthening of the confrontation between the United States and China has a decisive influence on its development, and the Americans seek to limit Russia's influence on regional processes.
Vasily Ivanov
Vasily Ivanovich Ivanov is a journalist.
