The US approved the largest-ever weapons sale to Taiwan, $11.1 billion. 

According to the Taiwanese Defense Ministry, the sale includes eight arms platforms: HIMARS, howitzers, Javelin anti-tank missiles, Altius loitering munition drones, and spare parts for helicopters and missiles. 

“The Ministry of National Defense emphasized that the United States, based on the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances, continues to assist Taiwan in maintaining sufficient self-defense capabilities and rapidly building strong deterrent capabilities to leverage asymmetric warfare advantages, which is the foundation for maintaining regional peace and stability.” The statement continued, “The Ministry of National Defense expressed its sincere gratitude to the United States for its decision.”

The Department of War said, “This proposed sale serves US national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability.” It added, “The proposed sale will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region.”

China reacted sharply to the announcement of the massive arms sale. “The US blatantly announced its plan to sell massive advanced weapons to China’s Taiwan region,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said. “This move grossly violates the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, infringes on China’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, undermines peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and sends a gravely wrong signal to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it.”

Beijing views US arms sales to Taiwan as a violation of the One China Policy, where Taiwan is acknowledged to be part of mainland China. Guo said the arms sale is pushing Taipei towards independence. 

“The ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces on the island attempt to advance their independence agenda and resist reunification through military buildup, squander the taxpayers’ money to purchase weapons, and even risk turning Taiwan into a ‘powder keg.’” He added, “Such moves will not reverse the inevitable failure of ‘Taiwan independence,’ and will only push the Taiwan Strait into the danger of military conflict at a faster pace.”

Beijing views US support for Taiwan as interference in internal Chinese matters and a violation of China’s sovereignty.