Record US support for Taiwan

The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced that the U.S. Department of State had authorized the sale of weapons to Taiwan under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

The approved record package includes 82 HIMARS launchers, 420 ATACMS systems, and 756 GMLRS-U (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) missiles. In addition, the United States is prepared to sell Taiwan 39 HMMWV vehicles. The U.S. would also provide technical and logistical support, as well as a training system for the Taiwanese military.

“The proposed sale serves the economic and security interests of the United States by supporting the recipient’s ongoing efforts to modernize its armed forces and maintain a credible defensive capability. (…) It will enhance the recipient’s security and help maintain political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region,” the document states.

The American decision comes at a significant moment. For weeks, tensions have been rising between Beijing and Tokyo over Chinese and Japanese policies toward Taiwan. The dispute began after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that any potential Chinese military action in the Taiwan Strait would pose a real threat to Japan’s security, which could justify the possible use of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces to counter Beijing. The remarks by Japan’s new prime minister drew strong criticism from Chinese authorities and sparked a diplomatic dispute between China and Japan.

It is also worth recalling that at the end of November, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te announced plans to accelerate the modernization of the armed forces and the construction of the multi-layered T-Dome air defense system. “We will accelerate the construction of T-Dome, create a rigorous air defense system in Taiwan with multi-layered protection, advanced detection, and effective interception, and weave a safety net for Taiwan to protect the lives and property of our citizens,” Lai declared. By 2030, Taipei plans to allocate 5 percent of its GDP to defense.