TAIPEI, Taiwan – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has received official notification from the United States government that its executive branch has informed Congress of an arms sale to Taiwan totalling USD 11.1 billion.
“The sale covers eight items: The Taiwan Tactical Network and Team Awareness Kit; AH-1W helicopter spare and repair parts and related equipment; M109A7 self-propelled howitzers; the additional procurement of high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) and related equipment; the additional procurement of tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided (TOW) missiles; antiarmor UAV missile systems for the army; the Javelin missile system and related equipment; and Harpoon missile repair follow-on support and related equipment for the navy,” MOFA reports.
“This is the second arms sale to Taiwan announced during the second Trump administration. The sale once again demonstrates the United States’ staunch dedication to fulfilling its security commitments to Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances. It continues a policy of normalised arms sales to Taiwan, assisting Taiwan in maintaining sufficient self-defence capabilities and building a strong deterrent force.”
Minister of foreign affairs Lin Chia-lung welcomes the sale and extends sincere gratitude to the United States for its long-standing support for regional security and for Taiwan’s self-defence capabilities.
Minister Lin also appreciates that the United States is taking concrete action to reflect the importance that its latest National Security Strategy places on Taiwan’s strategic position and on strengthening Taiwan’s military capabilities to deter conflict across the Taiwan Strait.
“In the face of China’s frequent military activities and acts of gray-zone provocation and harassment throughout the region, MOFA emphasises. “Taiwan has upheld its dedication to peace and freedom and will continue to enhance national defense and demonstrate its firm resolve to defend itself. Taiwan will also continue to deepen cooperation with the United States and other security partners and bolster its defense capabilities and resilience.
“MOFA, welcomes concrete actions by the international community to jointly advance peace, stability, and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait and throughout the region.”
The Presidential Office (PO) also issued a statement expressing gratitude to the US government for its commitment to the close Taiwan-US partnership.
Presidential office spokesperson Karen Kuo, said:
“In the face of increasingly severe regional security challenges, Taiwan will raise defense spending, as it is defined by NATO, to over three percent of GDP next year, and aims for this figure to reach five percent by 2030.”
Spokesperson Kuo also noted that the government has previously proposed a special budget for enhancing defense, resilience, and asymmetric capabilities. The spokesperson stated that Taiwan will continue to reform national defense, strengthen whole-of-society defense resilience, demonstrate our determination for self-defense, and maintain peace through strength.
Kuo emphasised that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the Indo-Pacific are indispensable to the security and prosperity of the international community.
“Taiwan will continue to deepen its partnerships with the US and other like-minded countries to safeguard the universal values of freedom and democracy and uphold regional peace, stability, and prosperity,” spokesperson Kuo said.
