US Approves $11.1 Billion Arms Package for Taiwan Amidst Beijing's Opposition

The United States government formally approved an $11.1 billion arms sales package destined for Taiwan on Wednesday, December 18, 2025, marking the largest single weapons transfer from Washington to the island to date. This significant commitment, the second such announcement under President Donald Trump's administration since his return to office in January 2025, is currently proceeding through the mandatory congressional notification stage. The Pentagon stated that these proposed sales fulfill vital U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting Taiwan's modernization of its armed forces and the maintenance of a credible defensive capability.

The comprehensive package is strategically oriented toward enhancing Taiwan's capacity for asymmetric warfare, emphasizing mobile and high-impact systems. The eight items slated for transfer include 82 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 420 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), which together account for over $4 billion of the total cost. Additional components comprise 60 self-propelled howitzer systems, military software valued in excess of $1 billion, Javelin and TOW anti-tank missiles exceeding $700 million, and drones valued at more than $1 billion.

Beijing's response was immediate, with the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Chinese government asserting that the deal severely undermines peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Spokesperson Guo Jiakun warned that U.S. support for Taiwan independence through weaponry would ultimately bring negative consequences upon the United States, and that attempts to use Taiwan to contain China are doomed to fail. In reaction to the transaction, China's defense ministry announced plans to enhance military training and implement forceful measures.

Concurrently, Taiwan's government, led by President William Lai Ching-te and Premier Cho Jung-tai of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), is increasing its own defense commitments. The proposed 2026 defense budget is set to surpass three percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), targeting 3.32% of GDP, which equates to approximately NT$949.5 billion or US$31.1 billion when applying the NATO calculation model that includes Coast Guard and veteran affairs expenditures. This represents a substantial increase from the NT$467.5 billion, or 2.45% of GDP, recorded in 2025.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense expressed appreciation for Washington's assistance, framing the hardware as foundational for building strong deterrent power and leveraging asymmetric warfare advantages to maintain regional stability. The administration has a long-term fiscal goal to raise defense spending to five percent of GDP by 2030, alongside a separate $40 billion special fund allocated for defense from 2026 through 2033. Five of the approved systems, including the M109A7 howitzers and Javelin missiles, are designated for funding through a special budget requiring review by the Legislative Yuan before contracts are finalized. This record transfer follows a smaller $330 million arms sale for aircraft parts in mid-November 2025 and underscores the U.S. National Security Strategy's re-emphasis on deterrence for Taiwan, rooted in the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances.