The US plans to ramp up weapons sales to Taiwan to a level exceeding US President Donald Trump’s first term as part of an effort to deter China as it intensifies military pressure on the nation, two US officials said on condition of anonymity.
If US arms sales do accelerate, it could ease worries about the extent of Trump’s commitment to Taiwan. It would also add new friction to the tense US-China relationship.
The officials said they expect US approvals for weapons sales to Taiwan over the next four years to surpass those in Trump’s first term, with one of them saying arms sales notifications to Taipei could “easily exceed” that earlier period.
Photo: Military News Agency via AP
The US is also pressing members of Taiwanese opposition parties not to oppose the government’s efforts to increase defense spending to 3 percent of GDP, they said.
The first Trump administration approved weapons sales of about US$18.3 billion to Taiwan, compared with about US$8.4 billion during former US president Joe Biden’s term, Reuters said.
On the election campaign trail, Trump suggested Taiwan should pay to be protected and also accused the nation of “stealing” US semiconductor business, causing alarm in Taipei.
The officials said administration officials and Trump were committed to “enhancing hard deterrence” for Taiwan.
“That’s where the president is. That’s where all of us are,” one of the officials said, adding that they were working closely with Taiwan on an arms procurement package to be rolled out when the nation secured domestic funding.
The Presidential Office said the government is determined to strengthen its self-defense capabilities and pointed to its proposals to increase defense spending.
“Taiwan aims to enhance military deterrence while continuing to deepen its security cooperation with the US,” Presidential Office spokesperson Lii Wen (李問) said.
The Ministry of National Defense declined to comment on any new arms sales, but reiterated previous remarks by Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) about the importance of “solidarity and cooperation of democratic allies.”
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated its opposition to US arms sales to Taiwan yesterday, with spokesperson Lin Jian (林劍) saying that the US should stop creating “new factors” that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
President William Lai (賴清德) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) aim to increase defense spending to 3 percent of GDP this year through a special defense budget.
However, the legislature, controlled by the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), passed budget cuts earlier this year that threatened to hit defense spending.
That triggered concern in Washington, where officials and lawmakers have regularly said the US cannot show more urgency over Taiwan’s defense than the nation itself.
“We’re messaging pretty hard [in Taipei] to the opposition. Don’t get in the way of this. This isn’t a Taiwanese partisan question. This is a Taiwanese survival question,” one of the officials said.
Three people in Taiwan with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed that the US government and congressional visitors have been pressing opposition parties not to block defense spending, especially the coming special defense budget, which is expected to be proposed to parliament later this year.
“As long as they knew there were people from the opposition in the room, they directly asked them not to cut the defense budget,” one of the people said.
KMT International Affairs Department director Alexander Huang (黃介正) said it was “beyond question” that the party firmly supports increasing the defense budget, adding that its “doors are open” to the US government and the DPP for consultations.
“Supporting an increased budget does not mean serving as a rubber stamp, nor does it preclude making adjustments or engaging in negotiations regarding the special budget proposals put forth by the DPP administration,” he said.
The TPP said it has “always had smooth communication with the US side and has continued to engage in in-depth dialogue on issues such as national defense and regional security.”
Reuters in February reported that Taiwan was exploring a multi-billion dollar arms purchase from the US, hoping to win support from the new Trump administration.
New weapons packages are expected to focus on missiles, munitions and drones, cost-effective means to help improve Taiwan’s chances of rebuffing any military action by China’s much larger forces.
Separately, one of the officials said that the Trump administration would not object to a transit this year through US territory by Lai.
Lii said there are “no plans for a presidential transit through the US the moment.”
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