Taiwan is weighing a large arms purchase from the United States as a signal to President-elect Donald Trump of its commitment to investing in its own defenses against China, the Financial Times reported Sunday.
The defense package, estimated at $15 billion, would include dozens of F-35 fighter jets, 4 Advanced Hawkeyes, 10 retired warships, and 400 Patriot missiles, according to sources familiar with discussions between Taiwan and Trump’s transition team.
Trump called on Taiwan this summer to shoulder more responsibility for its defense as tensions with China escalated, saying, “Taiwan should pay [the United States] for defense.” Taiwan’s premier Cho Jung-tai responded that the island is “willing to take on more responsibility” in defending itself.
Taiwan has had “informal discussions” with Trump’s team about what type of weapons package would best demonstrate the island is taking responsibility for its own defense, a senior Taiwanese national security official confirmed to the Times.
“Taiwan is thinking about a package to show that they are serious,” a former Trump administration official said. “Assuming they follow through, they will go to the US national security adviser when they are named and present a very aggressive package of American hardware.”
A substantial arms package “could look like a downpayment that would attempt to get off on the right foot with the new administration,” said Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the US-Taiwan Business Council.
The Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., urged the United States to “stop arms sales to, and military interactions with, Taiwan,” accusing Taiwanese president Lai Ching-te of “leading Taiwan toward conflict and war.”
“There is strong bipartisan backing for Taiwan,” a Taiwanese official said, “as you can see from the steady flow of legislation and resolutions aimed at bolstering support for Taiwan.”
The United States approved 11 arms deals to Taiwan worth $21 billion under the first Trump administration and packages worth $7 billion under the Biden administration, the Times reported.
“The first Trump administration oversaw more frequent and higher-level visits and it unblocked arms sales to our country,” the Taiwanese official added.
In response to the report, Taiwan’s government said on Monday that there is no “new stage of discussion” regarding arms sales with the United States at the moment.
“There has been a period of consolidation and discussion between Taiwan and the United States on military needs, but there is no new stage of discussion at this time,” Taiwan’s presidential office said in a statement.
