Taiwan "Discussing Types of Weapons Worth $500 Million to Be Supported by the US"

"Free Support Due to Fighter Jet Delivery Delay"

Taiwan is discussing with the United States the priority of weapons to be supported if the U.S. administration supplies weapons worth $500 million (approximately 660 billion KRW) through a fast track that does not require congressional approval.

Taiwan military aircraft inspection site. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to Taiwan's Central News Agency on the 8th, Chiu Kuo-cheng, Taiwan's Minister of National Defense, appeared before the Legislative Yuan (parliament) and stated that since January, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense has been discussing with the U.S. side to determine the priority of weapons to be supplied. He added that the emergency weapons support program will provide weapons free of charge, considering the delays in the supply of weapons Taiwan has already purchased from the U.S.

On the 6th, Bloomberg News and others reported that the Biden administration plans to support Taiwan with $500 million worth of weapons by utilizing the 'Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA),' which can be activated in emergencies without congressional consent. Previously, the U.S. used the PDA more than 35 times to support Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia.

However, it is not yet known what weapons will be included in the emergency support program for Taiwan or when the weapons will be delivered.

Taiwan has been suffering from delays in the delivery of weapons purchased from the U.S. since last year. The delivery schedule for 66 F-16V Block 70 fighter jets to Taiwan has been delayed by nearly a year from the originally planned fourth quarter of this year to the third quarter of 2024 due to production disruptions at Lockheed Martin caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister Chiu informed legislators on the 4th that he received notice from the U.S. side that the delivery of 66 F-16V jets to Taiwan will only be completed in 2026. Taiwan has allocated a total budget of $8.05 billion (approximately 10.7 trillion KRW) for the purchase of the 66 F-16V jets.

China's state-run English-language newspaper Global Times criticized the U.S. weapons support plan using the PDA, saying it will make Taiwan an even greater "powder keg," and stated, "This provocative move proves the U.S. intention to use Taiwan as a pawn to contain China."