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China Denounces $11.1 Billion U.S. Arms Deal for Taiwan, Warns of “Powder Keg” Scenario
WASHINGTON D.C. – Beijing has sharply condemned the United States’ recent approval of an $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan, issuing a stern warning that the deal risks transforming the island into a “powder keg” and accelerating the region towards “military confrontation and war.”
The unprecedented sale includes a formidable array of advanced weaponry, most notably 82 HIMARS launchers coupled with 420 ATACMS long-range missiles. This combination is poised to grant Taiwan a new deep-strike capability across the Taiwan Strait. The package also encompasses 60 self-propelled howitzers, advanced UAV systems, military software, and anti-armor weapons.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, accused Taiwan’s leadership of “seeking independence through force” and alleged that Washington is employing the island as a tool to “contain China.” This strong rhetoric underscores escalating tensions, even as the U.S. maintains the package is crucial for bolstering Taiwan’s self-defense.
“The ‘Taiwan independence’ forces on the island seek independence through force and resist reunification through force, squandering the hard-earned money of the people to purchase weapons at the cost of turning Taiwan into a powder keg,” Guo stated. “This cannot save the doomed fate of ‘Taiwan independence’ but will only accelerate the push of the Taiwan Strait toward a dangerous situation of military confrontation and war.
The U.S. support for ‘Taiwan Independence’ through arms will only end up backfiring. Using Taiwan to contain China will not succeed.”
While specific delivery timelines remain undisclosed by U.S. officials, the sale reflects Washington’s intensified efforts to fortify Taiwan’s defenses amidst growing concerns over China’s escalating military pressure campaign. The inclusion of HIMARS and ATACMS is expected to draw particular scrutiny from Beijing, as it would enable Taiwan to target People’s Liberation Army (PLA) staging areas, vessels, and infrastructure from mobile launchers – a capability China has repeatedly cautioned against.
In its notification to Congress, the State Department affirmed that the proposed sales would advance “U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability.” The department further asserted that the weapons would “help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance and economic progress in the region.”
Under established U.S. policy, Washington supplies Taiwan with arms deemed essential for its self-defense, all while adhering to a “One China” policy and refraining from supporting a formal declaration of independence. China contends that any enhancement of Taiwan’s defenses encourages separatism, while U.S. officials assert that such sales are intended to preserve regional stability and deter conflict.
The package now enters a 30-day congressional review period. Historically, Congress has never moved to block an arms sale to Taiwan. Once this period concludes, contracting and production will commence, a process that typically spans several years and contributes to a significant backlog of previously purchased, undelivered U.S. weapons for Taiwan.
China has a history of responding to major Taiwan arms sales with military demonstrations, including large-scale PLA drills, increased air and naval activity near the island, and sanctions on U.S. defense firms. Analysts suggest that Beijing’s sharp rhetoric indicates that additional military signaling is probable, though China has not yet announced specific countermeasures.
This latest sale represents a substantial enhancement of Taiwan’s conventional firepower. In recent months, Beijing has intensified pressure across the strait through near-daily PLA air and naval patrols, record incursions around the island, and high-profile exercises designed to showcase its capacity to encircle Taiwan.
Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung extended gratitude to the U.S. on Wednesday for its “long-term support for regional security and Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities,” emphasizing their critical role in deterring conflict in the Taiwan Strait.