US approves billion-dollar arms sale to Taiwan as tensions rise with China

The US on Friday announced a more than one billion dollar (£868,734,229) arms sale to Taiwan as US-China tensions escalate over the status of the island (US Navy/AP)

The US has announced a more than one billion dollar (£868,734,229) arms sale to Taiwan as US-China tensions escalate over the status of the island.

The sale includes 355 million dollars (£308m) for Harpoon air-to-sea missiles and 85 million dollars (£73.8m) for Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, the US State Department said.