Taiwan Pushes US to Approve $14 Billion Arms Deal as China Military Pressure Intensifies

Taiwan has intensified its appeal to Washington to expedite a $14 billion US arms package , warning that escalating Chinese military pressure across the Taiwan Strait makes urgent defence reinforcement essential for maintaining regional stability.

Taiwan’s top envoy in the United States, Alexander Yui Tah-ray, said in an interview with the Associated Press that Taiwan needs advanced US weapon systems to strengthen deterrence against Beijing’s expanding military activity near the island. He stressed that Taiwan is committed to improving its own defence capabilities while continuing close cooperation with Washington.

The arms package remains under US government review and has not been formally approved, despite earlier backing from senior lawmakers. Reports indicate that the delay is partly linked to concerns over US defence stockpile constraints and ongoing global military commitments.

Recent updates show that Washington has not changed its overall policy toward Taiwan and continues to support the island’s self-defence under existing US law. However, US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have said that timing depends on defence readiness, procurement cycles, and strategic priorities .

President Donald Trump has described the proposed arms sale as a potential “negotiating chip” with China following discussions with President Xi Jinping, a stance that has triggered concern in Taipei and among US lawmakers who fear politicisation of defence support.

At the same time, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has reaffirmed that the island is “not provoking China” and continues to seek swift approval of the package to strengthen deterrence. He has also maintained that Taiwan will expand domestic defence spending, including asymmetric warfare capabilities such as drones and coastal defence systems.

China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, has stepped up near-daily air and naval operations , along with large-scale military exercises, which Taipei describes as coercive pressure aimed at weakening its sovereignty.

A separate earlier US-approved $11 billion arms package remains in progress, underscoring continued but uneven defence cooperation between Washington and Taipei.

Despite delays, both sides maintain that the broader US–Taiwan security partnership remains unchanged. Yui said Taiwan will not rely solely on external protection, adding that while assistance is important, “we will not wait for the US cavalry to come and save us.”

He also expressed confidence that, regardless of political shifts in Washington, deterrence through strength remains the guiding principle of US policy in the Indo-Pacific.