Taiwan slashes US weapons orders, sparking anger in Washington
Photo: Taiwanese Navy (Getty Images)
Taiwan has approved a defense budget that turned out to be significantly smaller than its partners had expected. The United States has officially expressed disappointment with this decision, according to Reuters.
Washington considers this spending insufficient to effectively defend the island. The White House insists on full funding for Taiwan’s military, according to a senior official who spoke to the agency on condition of anonymity.
US officials are convinced that Taipei is leaving critical gaps in its defense system. A US official explained the Pentagon’s position.
"Our position on Taiwan's defense budget ... is that it was disappointing in that there was some stuff left on the cutting room floor that we believe still needs to be funded," he says.
Parliament’s decision and opposition's advantage
The agency notes that Taiwan’s parliament has put an end to the debate over military funding. Lawmakers approved additional spending of $25 billion.
And while this is a significant amount, it does not cover all needs. It is only about two-thirds of what the government initially requested.
The fact is that the opposition currently controls the parliament. It was the opposition that blocked the allocation of the full amount. This decision directly affects the procurement of the latest weapons and the modernization of the navy.
Now, Taipei will have to make tough choices regarding priorities. Some defense programs will be left without a penny.
Taiwan's arms purchases from US
The Taiwanese government has signed six agreements with the US for the purchase of weapons worth over $6.6 billion.
Among other things, this includes the supply of HIMARS systems, M109A7 Paladin howitzers, and the expansion of the army’s missile arsenal, among other measures.
According to a New York Times report, Taiwan is increasingly concerned about its own security in light of the threat from China, which is why it is seeking to learn from Ukraine’s military experience.
