The United States has approved an $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan, the largest ever under US law. The move comes amid growing military pressure from China.
The arms package includes eight items, such as HIMARS rocket systems, howitzers, Javelin anti-tank missiles, Altius loitering munition drones, and spare parts for other equipment. Taiwan’s defence ministry confirmed the sale, saying it strengthens the island’s ability to maintain self-defence and deter potential aggression.
“This arms package helps Taiwan build strong deterrent capabilities and leverage asymmetric warfare advantages,” the ministry said. The deal is now at the Congressional notification stage, allowing lawmakers a chance to review or block the sale.
The Pentagon also emphasized that the arms package serves US national, economic, and security interests. It supports Taiwan’s efforts to modernize its armed forces and maintain a credible defensive capability. Analysts note that smaller, mobile, and cost-effective weapons like drones are a key part of Taiwan’s asymmetric warfare strategy.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has committed to a $40 billion supplementary defence budget from 2026 to 2033, underlining the government’s determination to safeguard national security. Presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo thanked the US, highlighting the sale’s role in strengthening whole-of-society defence resilience.
Experts say weapons like the HIMARS, used extensively by Ukraine, could be crucial in countering a potential Chinese attack. Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the US-Taiwan Business Council, called the sale “a record in US security assistance for Taiwan.”
The announcement followed an unannounced visit to Washington by Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung. While the agenda of his meetings was not disclosed, the trip reinforced close US-Taiwan ties despite Washington’s formal diplomatic relationship with Beijing.
The arms sale is part of a broader US strategy to deter conflict over Taiwan by maintaining military overmatch against China. The move underscores Taiwan’s strategic importance in dividing Northeast and Southeast Asia into distinct security theaters.
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The arms package reflects ongoing US support for Taiwan and its efforts to ensure a credible self-defence capability, even as tensions with China continue to rise.
