Posted on 12/18/2025 9:10:17 AM PST by DFG
The Trump administration announced on Wednesday $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, the largest ever U.S. weapons package for the island which is under increasing military pressure from China.
The Taiwan arms sale announcement is the second under U.S. President Donald Trump's current administration, and comes as Beijing ramps up its military and diplomatic pressure against Taiwan, whose government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims.
The proposed arms sales cover eight items, including HIMARS rocket systems, howitzers, Javelin anti-tank missiles, Altius loitering munition drones and parts for other equipment, Taiwan's defence ministry said in a statement.
"The United States continues to assist Taiwan in maintaining sufficient self‑defence capabilities and in rapidly building strong deterrent power and leveraging asymmetric warfare advantages, which form the foundation for maintaining regional peace and stability," it added. The package must be approved by the U.S. Congress, where Taiwan has widespread cross-party support.
In a series of separate statements announcing details of the weapons deal, the Pentagon said the arms sales serve U.S. national, economic and security interests by supporting Taiwan's continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and to maintain a "credible defensive capability".
Pushed by the United States, Taiwan has been working to transform its armed forces to be able to wage "asymmetric warfare", using mobile, smaller and often cheaper weapons which still pack a targeted punch, like drones.
"Our country will continue to promote defence reforms, strengthen whole‑of‑society defence resilience, demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves, and safeguard peace through strength," Taiwan presidential office spokesperson Karen Kuo said in a statement, thanking the United States for the sales.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te last month announced a $40 billion supplementary defence budget, to run from 2026 to 2033, saying there was "no room for compromise on national security".
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
The attention is shifting, money goes where the giver thinks it will have the best effect.
“The Taiwan arms sale”
At least it is a sale, and we are not giving it away.
"Giver"? I would say, "seller".
might as well have a showdown now while we can still whoop their arses!
It is a very important distinction. It being a sale and not aid makes a huge difference.
This will make Winnie the Pooh very angry. Very angry indeed.
They are not giving anything. They are selling arms to an ally who will pay, contrary to Europe.
A lot of my old clothes were from Taiwan.
Howitzers are good mobile items. I hope they still maintain those big beautiful coastal guns.
We have Taiwan’s back.
And we are kicking the “Chinoise” out of Venezuela and the Caribbean.
I voted for this.
The attention is shifting, money goes where the giver thinks it will have the best effect.
Not so with Taiwan. They are of high strategic importance to our nation. Using semiconductor plant prevalence as a proxy, Taiwan #2 in the world with semiconductor manufacturing plants, and we are right behind them.
We should support and defend them. We have a vested interest. And if we sell then more weapons to defend themselves, I am doubly all for that.
They’ll have to appeal to the grunts in the Chicom military who will do the dying in an attack. Taiwan could be like a porcupine if adequately defended.
I will say , I don’t relish the thought of a conflict, for sure. Things like that will go sideways fast. I am all for helping Taiwan be a porcupine!
Until Taiwan actually trains their soldiers all will be lost. I have spoke with many in my extended family who have been in their boot camps. They don’t even get to fire a weapon.
b4 the Ukraine invasion-If there is a big military buildup like there was in Russia Taiwan should strike preemptively. Don’t wait for the first punch.
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