In a move that has sent shockwaves across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, the United States has approved a massive arms sale to Taiwan worth $11.1 billion, marking one of the largest weapons packages ever extended to the self-ruled island. The announcement, made by the US State Department on December 17, 2025, came during a nationally televised address by President Donald Trump, underscoring the gravity and immediacy of the decision.
The package, which still awaits final approval from the US Congress, is sweeping in scope. According to multiple outlets including Reuters, BBC, and Bloomberg, it includes 82 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 420 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS)—together valued at more than $4 billion—mirroring the advanced systems the US has previously supplied to Ukraine. Also on the list are 60 self-propelled howitzer artillery systems and related equipment, drones worth over $1 billion, military software valued at more than $1 billion, Javelin and TOW anti-tank missiles exceeding $700 million, helicopter spare parts, and refurbishment kits for Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
The Pentagon, in a series of statements cited by NPR, emphasized that these sales serve "U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability." The State Department echoed this sentiment, stating, "The proposed sale(s) will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region."
Taiwan’s government responded with gratitude and resolve. The island’s defense ministry declared, "The United States continues to assist Taiwan in maintaining sufficient self-defense capabilities and in rapidly building strong deterrent power." Karen Kuo, spokesperson for the presidential office, reinforced this by saying Taiwan would "continue to reform its defence sector and strengthen whole-of-society defence resilience to demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves, and safeguard peace through strength."
This arms deal comes at a time of heightened tension in the Taiwan Strait. China, which views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve reunification, was quick to express its outrage. The Chinese foreign ministry, via spokesperson Guo Jiakun, condemned the sale as a violation of the "one-China principle," warning, "By aiding Taiwan’s independence through arms sales, the U.S. will only end up harming itself. Any attempt to use Taiwan to contain China is doomed to fail." China’s Taiwan Affairs Office went further, accusing Taiwan’s leaders of being "willing to let external forces turn the island into a ‘war porcupine’," and warning that the population could become "cannon fodder"—a charge that Taiwan’s government firmly rejects.
Beijing’s concerns are not just rhetorical. Over the past year, China has repeatedly flexed its military muscle in the region, conducting large-scale drills near Taiwan and increasing incursions into the island’s waters and airspace. Just this week, Taiwan’s defense ministry reported monitoring and responding to the passage of China’s Fujian aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait. These moves, according to President William Lai Ching-te, are part of an "unprecedented military buildup" by Beijing, which he claims aims to seize Taiwan by 2027. Lai has warned of "intensifying provocations in the Taiwan Strait, in the East and South China Seas, and across the Indo-Pacific."
Against this backdrop, Taiwan has been ramping up its own defense efforts. In November 2025, President Lai announced a $40 billion supplementary defense budget to be allocated from 2026 to 2033, with the goal of achieving high combat readiness by 2027. The budget includes funding for a new dome-like air defense system, dubbed the "Taiwan Dome," designed to provide high-level detection and interception capabilities against hostile threats. Lai has insisted, "There is no room for compromise on national security." Taiwan is also set to increase its defense spending to over 3% of GDP in 2026 and up to 5% by 2030, a significant jump that reflects the island's growing sense of urgency.
Yet not everyone in Taiwan is fully on board with the defense spending surge. The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party and some segments of the population have pushed back against US requests for Taiwan to allocate as much as 10% of its GDP to defense—a figure that far exceeds what the US or any of its major allies currently spend. Nevertheless, the government maintains that bolstering defense is essential for maintaining regional peace and stability.
The arms deal also comes amid broader diplomatic friction in the region. Tensions between China and Japan have flared in recent months, with both countries trading barbs over disputed islands and the possibility of Japanese military intervention should China attempt to seize Taiwan by force. In June, Japan protested after an unprecedented Chinese naval drill in the Pacific, and more recently, the two countries have clashed over statements by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding the deployment of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces.
For the United States, the arms sale is both a strategic and symbolic gesture. While Washington does not have a mutual defense treaty with Taiwan, the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act commits the US to providing the island with "such defense articles and defense services" as may be necessary for it to maintain "sufficient self-defense capabilities." According to Matt Gertken, chief geopolitical strategist at BCA Research, President Trump’s move is aimed at "restoring some deterrence to Taiwan" while maintaining room to negotiate with China on trade and technology issues. "So he’s saying to China, we’re willing to trade. We’re not going to cut off your semiconductors completely, but we’re not going to let you attack Taiwan," Gertken told CNBC.
As the US Congress prepares to review the deal, the world will be watching closely. The National Defense Authorization Act, which is expected to be signed into law by President Trump, has already drawn fierce criticism from Beijing for "trumpeting for military support to Taiwan" and "undermining China’s sovereignty, security and development interests." The Chinese embassy in Washington has called the legislation an unfair targeting of China as an aggressor and warned it could disrupt efforts to stabilize bilateral relations.
With the stakes higher than ever, the US-Taiwan arms deal is more than just a transaction—it is a flashpoint in the ongoing struggle for influence and security in Asia. As both sides dig in, the risk of miscalculation grows, and the world holds its breath for what comes next.
