Washington – The Trump administration has announced a historic Taiwan arms sale of 11.1 billion in a move that emphasizes the increasing support for the island.
This is the biggest such package and is issued when Taiwan is under great military pressure from its neighbour, China.
The agreement entails advanced machinery to assist Taiwan in defending its territory. The eight key weapons include HIMARS rockets, potent howitzers, and anti-tank missiles.
Other elements of this package include the Altius loitering munition drones, small, intelligent aircraft capable of hitting a specific target, which are an important aspect of the island’s strategy to develop a modern and agile military.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry expressed deep gratitude for the support, noting that the Taiwan arms sale provides the “foundation for maintaining regional peace and stability.”
With an emphasis on the so-called asymmetric warfare, i.e., the ability to employ smaller, mobile, and cost-efficient weapons to make sure that a significantly bigger force will not attack, Taiwan is convinced that the war cannot be prevented, i.e., strength will win.
This news comes after an informal visit by the Foreign Minister of Taiwan, Lin Chia-lung, to the United States, indicating a close yet informal relationship between the two parties.
Though the US has formal diplomatic relations with Beijing, it is obliged by law to assist Taiwan in its self-defence.
China, however, highly criticized the news. Government spokespeople in Beijing said the deal “severely undermines peace” and warned that using weapons to support independence would only lead to more danger.
In case of any more challenges, the President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, recently estimated a supplementary budget of $40 billion in the years ahead.
The new Taiwan arms sale supports this long-term plan, demonstrating that the island is ready to defend its democratic lifestyle and 23 million inhabitants.
With this package going to the US Congress to be finalized, it is a strong indicator that Washington is serious about security in the region.
