Taiwan says US proceeding with $11.1 billion arms package, largest ever

TAIPEI/WASHINGTON — Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday that the United States government is moving forward with an $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan, the largest U.S. weapons package ever proposed for the island, which China claims as its own territory.

The announcement marks the second arms sale under U.S. President Donald Trump’s current administration and comes as Beijing intensifies military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan, whose government firmly rejects China’s sovereignty claims.

According to the defense ministry, the proposed package includes eight major items, such as HIMARS rocket systems, howitzers, anti-tank missiles, drones, and spare parts for existing military equipment.

“The United States continues to assist Taiwan in maintaining sufficient self-defense capabilities and in rapidly building strong deterrent power by leveraging asymmetric warfare advantages, which form the foundation for preserving regional peace and stability,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry added that the package is currently at the Congressional notification stage, during which U.S. lawmakers may review, block, or modify the sale, although Taiwan enjoys broad bipartisan support in Congress.

Under U.S. guidance, Taiwan has been restructuring its military to focus on asymmetric warfare, emphasizing mobile, smaller, and cost-effective weapons systems—such as drones—that can deliver precise and powerful strikes.

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China’s Foreign Ministry also declined to comment.

Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council, said weapons such as the HIMARS systems, which have been used extensively by Ukraine against Russian forces, could be critical in countering a potential Chinese invasion.

“This series of congressional notifications—unprecedented in U.S. security assistance for Taiwan—is a direct response to the growing threat from China and to President Trump’s demand that allies and partners take greater responsibility for their own defense,” he said.

FOREIGN MINISTER’S U.S. VISIT

The arms sale announcement followed an unannounced visit by Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung to the Washington area last week, where he met with U.S. officials, according to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Reuters was unable to determine the agenda of the meetings, and Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry declined to comment.

While Washington maintains formal diplomatic relations with Beijing, it has long held unofficial ties with Taiwan and remains the island’s most important arms supplier. U.S. law obliges Washington to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, though such arms sales have consistently strained U.S.-China relations.

President Trump’s deal-focused diplomatic approach and his planned visit to Chinese President Xi Jinping next year have raised concerns in the region about the durability of U.S. support for Taiwan.

However, U.S. officials told Reuters earlier this year that the administration intends to increase arms sales to Taipei beyond levels seen during Trump’s first term, as part of broader efforts to deter China.

The Trump administration’s national security strategy, released earlier this month, stated that the United States aims to prevent conflict over Taiwan by “preserving military overmatch” against China in the region—a formulation welcomed by officials in Taipei.

The strategy also underscored Taiwan’s strategic importance, citing its geographic position dividing Northeast and Southeast Asia into two distinct theaters.

China maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory, a claim that Taiwan’s government strongly rejects. -Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Michael Martina; Editing by Chris Reese and Michael Perry/Reuters