TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan has signed a six-year contract with the United States valued at NT$1.36 billion ($45.16 million) for parts and ammunition for Apache and Black Hawk helicopters, reports said Friday (Aug. 26).

Recent media reports indicated the Biden Administration was preparing a new arms package for Taiwan in September, as China continues to stage military exercises and send warplanes across the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

The latest contract is not thought to be related to the new weapons deal, but is designed to help the effectiveness of Taiwan’s helicopters survive a Chinese blockade as long as possible, the Liberty Times reported.

The Army entrusted military representatives in the U.S. to sign the document with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). The contract covers the period from last month to December 2028, and is valued at NT$1,364,640,000, according to the report.

On Thursday (Aug. 25), the government said it had proposed a defense budget for 2023 valued at a record NT$586.3 billion, an increase of 13.9% compared to the previous annual budget.