China has strongly condemned the United States government’s approval of an $11–11.1 billion arms sales package to Taiwan, describing it as the largest such deal in history and warning that it seriously undermines peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

The US approval covers eight major defense items, including HIMARS rocket systems, howitzers, Javelin anti-tank missiles, Altius loitering munition drones, and various related equipment, according to statements from Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense and the US Department of Defense.

Washington said the proposed sales are intended to support Taiwan’s efforts to modernize its armed forces and maintain what it called a “credible defense capability,” adding that the package serves US national, economic, and security interests. The Pentagon emphasized that the deal aligns with Washington’s long-standing policy of helping Taiwan maintain sufficient self-defense capabilities.

Taiwanese authorities welcomed the move, saying it would contribute to strengthening deterrence and enhancing the island’s asymmetric warfare capacity. Taiwan has increasingly focused on smaller, mobile, and cost-effective weapons systems—such as drones and precision missiles—aimed at countering growing military pressure from Beijing.

Taiwan Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo thanked the United States for its support, stating that Taiwan would continue defense reforms, bolster societal resilience, and demonstrate its determination to defend itself. President Lai Ching-te recently announced an additional $40 billion defense budget covering the period from 2026 to 2033, stressing that there was “no room for compromise” on national security.

The arms sales notification has been submitted to the US Congress, which retains the authority to block or modify the deal. However, Taiwan is generally understood to enjoy broad bipartisan support in Congress.

China’s response

China’s Foreign Ministry reacted sharply, reiterating its firm opposition to all US arms sales to Taiwan. Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the move “seriously violates the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués,” and accused Washington of gravely infringing upon China’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.

Guo warned that such actions severely undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and send a “seriously wrong signal” to what Beijing describes as “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. He added that attempts to use Taiwan as a means to contain China are “doomed to fail,” and that arming the island would only heighten military risks in the region.

“The Taiwan question is at the core of China’s core interests and represents the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations,” Guo said, stressing that China would take “resolute and forceful measures” to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Rising regional tensions

The latest arms package comes amid heightened tensions between Beijing and Taipei, as well as growing strategic rivalry between China and the United States. While China insists Taiwan is an inseparable part of its territory, the island’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and maintains that its future should be decided by its people.

Analysts warn that continued arms sales, military maneuvers, and diplomatic confrontations risk further destabilizing the Taiwan Strait, a key global shipping route and a focal point of geopolitical competition.

As both Washington and Beijing stand by their positions, the Taiwan issue remains one of the most sensitive and consequential challenges in US-China relations, with implications extending well beyond the region. (ILKHA)