Taiwan confirms more weapons acquisition from U.S. amid rising China tensions.

Taiwan has confirmed plans to expand its weapons purchases from the United States following the approval of a new special defense budget. The move underscores Taipei’s determination to strengthen its defenses as China increases military pressure near the island.

According to information published by the Central News Agency (CNA) of Taiwan on October 20, 2025, the 24th US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference opened this week in Ellicott City, Maryland, as bilateral defense ties accelerate under mounting pressure from Beijing. Organized by the US-Taiwan Business Council, the conference marks a pivotal moment in Washington’s military support for Taiwan. Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the Council, and Han Ruobo, head of the organizing committee, both confirmed that 2026 is expected to see the highest-ever volume of US arms sales to Taiwan, contingent upon passage of Taipei’s special defense procurement budget currently under legislative review.
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Taiwan takes delivery of its first M1A2T Abrams main battle tanks in December 2024, marking a major step in its ongoing military modernization amid growing security pressure from China. (Picture source: Social Network)

The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense has proposed a multi-year special budget aimed at lifting total defense spending to over 3 percent of GDP. The package, estimated in the hundreds of billions of New Taiwan Dollars, is intended to fast-track acquisitions, fund local co-production programs, and deepen interoperability with US systems. Once approved, new Foreign Military Sales (FMS) notifications are expected to hit Capitol Hill in rapid succession, covering air defense systems, drones, electronic warfare assets, and strategic support platforms.

The conference, running from October 20 to 21, brings together Taiwan’s Deputy Minister of National Defense, Chung Shu-ming, senior officials from the US Department of Defense, including Jedidiah Royal, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, and representatives from the State Department. Despite a partial shutdown of the US federal government, the strong turnout by American defense officials underscores the strategic weight Washington assigns to Taiwan as a frontline partner in countering Chinese regional coercion.

This year’s closed-door sessions focus on five core themes: Taiwan’s evolving national security landscape, alliance coordination and joint combat operations, political warfare and cognitive domain threats, defense sector reform and military-civil integration, and Taiwan’s growing emphasis on electronic and electromagnetic spectrum warfare. Attendees are also analyzing operational lessons from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the recent Gaza War, with a focus on resilience, dispersal, and asymmetric strike capabilities.

Of particular note is the expanding scope of joint US-Taiwan weapons development, especially in unmanned systems. Han Ruobo emphasized that Taiwan, due to its secure supply chain positioning outside of Chinese influence, is uniquely situated to become a mass production hub for unmanned aerial and ground vehicles targeting Western defense markets. This initiative is seen as a response to US and European efforts to diversify procurement away from China-linked manufacturers and enhance supply chain security in critical technologies.

Among the most significant developments is the recent delivery of key US weapons systems to Taiwan, fulfilling prior contracts and reinforcing Taiwan’s defense posture. The US has already delivered High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), Stinger MANPADS, and Harpoon coastal defense cruise missiles. Most notably, the first batch of M1A2T Abrams main battle tanks has arrived on the island. These advanced tanks, equipped with improved armor, fire control, and digital battle management systems, are expected to significantly enhance the Taiwanese Army’s deterrent capability against armored incursions by the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Meanwhile, Taiwan continues to receive deliveries of AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapons (JSOW) and the AIM-120C advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM) for its F-16V fighter jets. This air-ground integration supports Taiwan’s push toward a modernized, networked force capable of surviving and responding in a high-intensity conflict scenario.

However, China has responded with growing hostility to these developments. In a strongly worded editorial from the state-run Global Times, Beijing warned that increasing arms deliveries and US-Taiwan defense collaboration are "crossing red lines" and will provoke "strong countermeasures." Chinese military activity around Taiwan has also escalated in recent months, with multiple incursions by PLA Air Force fighter jets and surveillance aircraft into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), as well as joint amphibious exercises simulating island assaults.

Despite these threats, Washington’s support remains firm. US defense officials privately confirmed that delays in previous arms sales, notably the USD 8 billion F-16 Block 70 fighter jet program, have largely been resolved. The remaining backlogs are minimal, and US defense contractors have ramped up production under multi-year contracts to accelerate delivery timelines.

While the Trump administration has not yet announced a new arms package for Taiwan since returning to office, officials close to the matter stressed that the review process is underway and follows the typical one-year delay when new administrations assume power. Importantly, recent speculation about the withholding of $400 million in military aid as part of a trade deal with China has been dismissed by the US-Taiwan Business Council as inaccurate. Han Ruobo clarified that such delays are primarily tied to drawdown authority logistics and congressional appropriations rather than diplomatic maneuvering with Beijing.

The 2025 US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference has transformed into a strategic milestone. As Taipei prepares to pass its largest-ever defense budget and Washington doubles down on arms deliveries, both sides are laying the groundwork for deeper, more integrated military collaboration. With tensions in the Taiwan Strait at their highest level in decades, the decisions made this week in Maryland may shape the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific for years to come.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.