WASHINGTON, July 19. /TASS/. A US nongovernmental delegation to Taiwan sent by the Atlantic Council and led by former US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Monday discussed sales of weapons to the island, the US think tank said.

"Arms sales, policy issues dominate day one of meetings," the Atlantic Council said in a blog post. "The United States should expedite arms sales to Taiwan to improve the country’s asymmetric capabilities."

"Informed in part by lessons learned from Ukraine, top priorities include Stinger anti-aircraft weapons, coastal-defense cruise missiles, and Javelin anti-armor systems," the blog post said. "Because these systems are in such high demand from US allies and partners worldwide, the United States should quickly develop the means to accelerate the production of these systems to meet global demand."

Esper was defense secretary in 2019-2020 during the administration of President Donald Trump.

The US broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979 and established them with China. Acknowledging the policy of one China, Washington continues to maintain a partnership with the island. The US and Taiwan have significantly stepped up contacts in recent months. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office in 2019 designated the Atlantic Council as an undesirable organization in the country, saying it posed a security threat.