Taiwan shows off first missile to be jointly manufactured with US arms maker

By Yimou Lee and Fabian Hamacher

TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan unveiled its first missile to be jointly manufactured with a U.S. company on Wednesday, marking a major step in the fast-growing defence cooperation between Taipei and Washington to counter China’s military threat.

Democratically-governed Taiwan is racing to bolster its armed forces as China, which views the island as its own territory, steps up its military pressure, including staging war games and regularly sending warplanes and warships into nearby skies and waters.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said in June he would deepen security cooperation with the U.S. and the island would jointly develop and manufacture weapons. The U.S. is the island’s most important international backer and arms supplier, despite the absence of formal