What Happened
Taiwan has signed two arms deals with the United States for a “long-range precision fire system” and “a batch of missiles” for national defense, Focus Taiwan reported June 17, citing an announcement made by the island’s defense ministry.

Why It Matters
These arms sales come as Taiwan is attempting to bolster its relations with regional partners, especially the United States, through diplomatic meetings, defense cooperation agreements and trade partnerships amid growing tensions with China. Coastal defense systems are part of Taiwan's first line of defense against a Chinese amphibious attack. Mobile missile systems also give Taiwan a resilient and versatile defense platform in the event of a Chinese assault on the island. The purchase of such U.S. missile systems, however, will likely incur further reactions from Beijing.

Background
The Chinese military has been increasing the number and frequency of aerial incursions into Taiwanese airspace over the last year in an attempt to deter Taiwan from collaborating with other countries. Arms sales and the subsequent deployment of such systems are likely to incur further reactions from Beijing.