The Trump administration has announced a major package of arms sales to Taiwan worth more than $10bn, including medium-range missiles, artillery systems and drones, prompting a sharp response from China.
The US state department confirmed the sales late on Wednesday, during a nationally televised address by President Donald Trump.
Trump made little reference to foreign policy and did not mention China or Taiwan.
Relations between Washington and Beijing have fluctuated during Trump’s second term, driven largely by disputes over trade and tariffs. Tensions have also been heightened by China’s increasingly assertive stance towards Taiwan, which Beijing claims must be reunited with the mainland.
The package includes eight separate arms sales agreements. Among them are 82 high-mobility artillery rocket systems (Himars) and 420 army tactical missile systems (Atacms), valued at more than $4bn. Similar weapons were supplied to Ukraine during the Biden administration.
The agreements also cover 60 self-propelled howitzer systems and related equipment worth more than $4bn, along with drones valued at over $1bn.
Additional items in the package include military software worth more than $1bn, Javelin and Tow missiles valued at more than $700m, helicopter spare parts costing $96m, and refurbishment kits for Harpoon missiles worth $91m.
In separate but nearly identical statements, the state department said the sales served US national, economic and security interests by supporting Taiwan’s efforts to modernise its armed forces and maintain a credible defensive capability.
The department said the deals would help improve Taiwan’s security and contribute to political stability, military balance and economic progress in the region.
China’s foreign ministry condemned the move, saying it violated diplomatic agreements between Beijing and Washington, undermined regional stability and seriously harmed China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Guo Jiakun, a foreign ministry spokesperson, accused pro-independence forces in Taiwan of seeking separation through force and warned that the arms purchases would turn the island into “a powder keg”.
He said the sales would accelerate the risk of military confrontation in the Taiwan Strait and that US support for Taiwan would ultimately backfire.
Under US law, Washington is required to assist Taiwan with its self-defence, a position that has become a major point of contention with China, which has vowed to take control of the island by force if necessary.
Taiwan’s defence ministry welcomed the arms sale on Thursday, saying it would help maintain sufficient self-defence capabilities and strengthen deterrence. It added that bolstering the island’s defences was essential to preserving regional peace and stability.
Taiwan’s foreign minister, Lin Chia-lung, also thanked the US for its continued support, describing strong self-defence capabilities as vital to deterring conflict in the Taiwan Strait.
The announcement comes as Taiwan plans to significantly increase defence spending, raising it to 3.3% of gross domestic product next year and to 5% by 2030.
The increase follows calls from Trump and the Pentagon for Taiwan to spend up to 10% of its GDP on defence, a demand that has faced resistance from the opposition Kuomintang party and sections of the public.
Last month, Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, announced a special $40bn budget for arms purchases, including a new air defence system known as Taiwan Dome. The funding will be spread over eight years, from 2026 to 2033.
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