**US Arms Deal Signals Support for Taiwan Defense**
REPORTER:
The more-than-300-million US dollar package will provide items needed to keep Taiwan’s American-made weapons, like the F16, online.
This sale involves the F-16 and other aircraft with non-standard spare and repair parts. The deal will help maintain the combat readiness of the Air Force’s fighter jets, strengthen Taiwan’s air defense, and enhance overall defensive resilience while improving its ability to respond to Chinese gray-zone incursions.
REPORTER:
While this package is essentially spare parts, it could signal what's to come.
I do think that this is the start of something really big.
Every year the US government writes the National Defense Authorization Act, which every year includes the portions that are related to Taiwan in terms of defense relationships. Over the last couple years, the areas that it has included have expanded continuously.
REPORTER:
Taiwan’s foreign ministry hailed the deal as an example of the US fulfilling its commitment to peace in the Taiwan strait.
It comes as Taiwan’s legislature reviews a special defense budget that could reach 40 billion US dollars and just after a meeting between the leader of Taiwan’s opposition party and officials from the US de facto embassy in Taiwan. The timing is notable.
REPORTER:
Media reported in September that the US withheld more than $400 million in military aid to Taiwan while negotiating with China. But with this new package, Washington appears to be reaffirming its support for Taiwan — possibly signaling a closer partnership ahead.
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