Taiwan Begins Talks With U.S. on New Weapons for $40 Billion Defence Plan

Post by : Saif Nasser

Taiwan has begun early discussions with the United States on buying new weapons as part of its proposed $40 billion defence budget for the years 2026 to 2033. Defence Minister Wellington Koo confirmed the talks on Thursday while speaking to reporters in Taipei. The announcement highlights Taiwan’s growing efforts to strengthen its military at a time when pressure from China continues to rise.

President Lai Ching-te revealed the new defence plan earlier this week, saying it was needed to show Taiwan’s commitment to protecting itself. China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has increased its military activity around the island over the past five years. Taiwan rejects China’s claims and insists it will not give up its freedom or democratic system.

According to Koo, the United States will play a major role in the new defence spending. He said Taiwan had already completed “preliminary coordination” with Washington on what weapons it wants to buy. Taiwan has also received information from the U.S. Department of Defense about the number of items available, price estimates, and delivery timelines. This, Koo said, shows that the U.S. is willing to support Taiwan’s military needs. However, he added that specific details cannot be shared until the U.S. Congress receives a formal notification.

The Pentagon did not immediately comment on the matter. Still, the United States remains Taiwan’s strongest unofficial ally and main weapons supplier. Even though the two do not have formal diplomatic ties, the U.S. has repeatedly stated that it wants Taiwan to have the ability to defend itself.

Before the plan can move forward, Taiwan’s parliament must approve the spending. This could be challenging because the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) controls the legislature. The party criticised President Lai for announcing the plan in a Washington Post article rather than informing parliament first. The KMT said it supports national defence but questioned whether borrowing such a large amount of money is financially responsible.

Premier Cho Jung-tai responded by urging lawmakers to look at the bigger picture. He said Taiwan faces increasing threats from China and must invest in its own safety. “If you don’t have a country, how can you have a home?” he said.

Minister Koo also noted that the defence budget would help Taiwan’s economy by creating about 90,000 jobs and bringing in direct economic benefits worth around NT$400 billion.

Washington has been encouraging Taiwan, much like European allies, to increase its own defence spending. President Lai previously said he hoped Taiwan could raise defence spending to 5% of its GDP by 2030. However, since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, only one arms sale to Taiwan has been approved—a $330 million package for fighter jet and aircraft parts announced earlier this month.

Even so, U.S. officials have said that more weapons sales are being planned and could exceed the levels seen during Trump’s earlier term in office. The goal, they say, is to make sure Taiwan has strong enough military capabilities to deter any possible aggression from China.

For Taiwan, the coming months will be important. The parliament must decide whether to approve the large defence plan, and the U.S. will need to move forward with any future arms notifications. The decisions made now could shape Taiwan’s security for many years to come.