US, Taiwan in talks for US$500 million in free weapons after arms deliveries stalled

Taiwan is in talks with the Pentagon for half a billion US dollars in free weapons following delays in much-needed arms deliveries, the island’s defence minister said on May 8.

Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng told the Taiwanese legislature that the talks had been underway for at least four months, confirming for the first time that the United States would send the free munitions, South China Morning Post reports.

“These extra weapons will be given to us for free and will not be deducted from the purchase list which has been delayed by the US,” Chiu said when pressed by lawmakers on the deal.

Taiwan has complained of delays to US weapon deliveries, including Stinger missiles and advanced F-16V fighter jets.

The US authorised the sale of 250 Stingers to Taiwan in 2019 but the shoulder-mounted missiles have been in demand in Ukraine.

Asked what kind of weapons would be involved, Chiu said: “They will include missiles and some logistic services to help train our soldiers so that they will be familiar with the weapons’ operations as soon as they arrive.”

“These [extra] weapons will be items readily available in the US inventory,” Chiu said, adding that the timing of the delivery would be announced by the US.

The US Congress authorised up to US$1 billion worth of weapons aid for Taiwan in the 2023 budget as part of the presidential drawdown authority.

The authority expedites security assistance and has been used dozens of times to send arms to Ukraine, Reuters reported on the weekend, quoting an unnamed Washington source.

Speaking to the legislature, Chiu said Taiwanese and US military officials started negotiating earlier this year about Taiwan’s needs.

On US military exchanges with Taiwan, Chiu admitted that the US had sent instructors to help train Taiwanese soldiers and observe military drills conducted by the island.

He also said his ministry had been in talks with the Pentagon on joining the US-led Rim of the Pacific Exercise held every two years between June and July.

“There is some progress” in the talks, Chiu said but declined to give details.

On Thursday, Chiu told the legislature that supply disruptions had stalled delivery of some of the 66 advanced new F-16Vs Taiwan has on order, but his ministry would make sure that all of them would be delivered by 2026.

Also on Monday, Chiu addressed US House Representative Seth Moulton’s suggestions that the US should blow up Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the world’s largest contract chip supplier if the island came under attack by the People’s Liberation Army.

He said the Taiwanese military would never allow that to happen.

“It is the military’s obligation to defend Taiwan and we will not tolerate any others blowing up our facilities,” he said.

Taiwan has been under constant military threat in recent years from Beijing, which sees the island as breakaway territory that must be brought back under control, by force if necessary.

Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state but are opposed to any forcible change in the status quo.