US announces more than $10bn of arms sales to Taiwan | Taiwan
The Trump administration drew an angry reaction from China by announcing a massive arms sales package to Taiwan worth more than $10 billion, including medium-range missiles, howitzers and unmanned aerial vehicles.
The State Department announced the sales late Wednesday in a nationally televised speech by President Donald Trump, who mentioned little about foreign policy issues and nothing about China or Taiwan. U.S.-China tensions have ebbed and flowed during Trump’s second term, largely over trade and tariffs, but also because of China’s increasing aggression against Taiwan, which Beijing says should unite with the People’s Republic of China.
The eight arms sales deals announced Wednesday include 82 high-mobility artillery rocket systems (Himars) and 420 army tactical missile systems (Atacms) that the United States sent to Ukraine during the Biden administration to defend itself against Russia and are worth more than $4 billion. These include 60 self-propelled howitzer systems and related equipment worth more than $4 billion, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles worth more than $1 billion.
Other sales in the package include military software worth more than $1 billion, Javelin and Tow missiles worth more than $700 million, helicopter spare parts worth more than $96 million, and retrofit kits for Harpoon missiles worth more than $91 million.
In separate but nearly identical statements, the State Department said the sales “serve the national, economic, and security interests of the United States by supporting the recipient’s efforts to modernize its armed forces and maintain a credible defense capability.”
“The proposed sale(s) will help increase the security of the buyer and help maintain political stability, military balance and economic progress in the region,” the statement said.
China’s foreign ministry attacked the move, saying it would violate diplomatic agreements between Beijing and Washington, undermine regional stability and seriously harm China’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.
“‘Taiwan independence’ forces on the island seek independence by force and resist reunification by force, squandering the people’s hard-earned money on purchasing weapons, at the expense of turning Taiwan into a powder keg,” foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said.
“This cannot save the inevitable fate of ‘Taiwan independence’, but will only accelerate the Taiwan Strait’s march towards a dangerous state of military conflict and war. US support for ‘Taiwan Independence’ through arms will only backfire. Using Taiwan to contain China will not succeed,” he added.
Under federal law, the United States is obligated to assist Taiwan in self-defense; This is becoming increasingly controversial with China, which has vowed to take Taiwan by force if necessary. Trump has previously suggested that Taiwan should pay the United States for “protection.”
Officials in Washington and Taipei have been working to speed up approval of arms sales to Taiwan since China’s intense military exercises encircle the island in 2022. But the push for more arms sales has been hampered by Trump’s erratic stance toward Taiwan.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said on Thursday it expressed gratitude to the United States for the arms sale, which it said would help the island maintain “adequate defense capabilities” and bring strong deterrent capabilities. Strengthening Taiwan’s defense “is the basis for maintaining regional peace and stability,” the ministry said.
Taiwanese foreign minister Lin Chia-lung similarly thanked the United States for its “long-term support for regional security and Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities” and said they were key to deterring conflict in the Taiwan Strait, the body of water separating Taiwan from mainland China.
The arms sales come after Taiwan’s government pledged to increase defense spending to 3.3 percent of the island’s gross domestic product next year and 5 percent by 2030. This increase comes after Trump and the Pentagon demanded that Taiwan spend 10 percent of its GDP on defense; That’s a percentage well above what the United States or any of its major allies spend on defense. The request was rejected by Taiwan’s opposition KMT party and some of the party’s people.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te last month announced a special budget of $40 billion for weapons purchases, including an air defense system with high-end detection and response capabilities called Taiwan Dome. The budget will be allocated for eight years, from 2026 to 2033.
But Lai is having trouble getting his budget, including his military spending plan, passed by parliament. Earlier this month, opposition lawmakers blocked a bill that would have allowed the defense budget to fund major arms procurement and joint development programs with the United States.
Associated Press contributed reporting
