The United States on Wednesday announced an arms sales package worth $11.1 billion (€9.45 billion) for Taiwan, making it the largest ever US weapons package for the island.

The State Department announced the arms sales package as US President Donald Trump made a televised address.

The move is likely to irk China which claims sovereignty over Taiwan.

The arms deal comes after Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung made a low-profile trip to the Washington-area last week, which was reported by Taiwanese and Asian media. 

The US State Department said the sales serve "US national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient's continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability."

What does the arms sales package include?

The arms package — which includes medium-range missiles, howitzers and drones — is the second under Trump's current administration, and comes amid China's increasing military and diplomatic pressure against Taiwan.

The proposed arms sale covers eight items. These included HIMARS rocket systems, howitzers, Javelin anti-tank missiles, Altius loitering munition drones and parts for other equipment, Taiwan's defence ministry said in a statement.

"The United States continues to assist Taiwan in maintaining sufficient self-defence capabilities and in rapidly building strong deterrent power and leveraging asymmetric warfare advantages, which form the foundation for maintaining regional peace and stability," it added.

Other sales in the package include military software valued at more than $1 billion, Javelin and TOW missiles worth more than $700 million, helicopter spare parts worth $96 million and refurbishment kits for Harpoon missiles worth $91 million.

Edited by: Kieran Burke