Taiwan’s Defense @Adobe Stock
Kevin Ting-Chen Sun and Howard Shen of War on the Rocks report that Taiwan’s reliance on U.S. arms sales, mandated by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, has led to significant delays in its defense modernization. Despite increasing its defense budget, Taiwan struggles with outdated equipment due to chronic delays in U.S. arms deliveries, such as howitzers, missiles, and fighter jets. These delays undermine Taiwan’s defense capabilities and public confidence in military spending, making it harder to secure future funding. To address this, Taiwan needs stronger negotiations with the U.S., clearer contracts, and improved oversight. The U.S. should streamline arms sales processes to ensure timely delivery, which is crucial for Taiwan’s defense readiness and political support. They write:
Taiwan relies almost exclusively on the United States for arms sales due to its diplomatic constraints. Such sales from the United States are mandated by the Taiwan Relations Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1979. This reliance renders Taiwan particularly vulnerable to chronic delays and systemic problems in U.S. arms deliveries. Persistent backlogs continue to hamper Taiwan’s defense planning and budgetary momentum — casting a long shadow over even the strongest political and institutional support for arms investment.
If the U.S. government and the defense industry it oversees can’t fix the systemic problems with late deliveries, Taiwan will be left to defend its shores with outdated equipment, including World War II-era artillery. […]
Taiwan is more than willing to increase its military spending and allocate more of its budget to arms sales. However, due to its democratic system and societal expectations, Taipei requires U.S. or Pentagon-supervised manufacturers to fulfill their contractual promises. Timely and consistent delivery of military assets will ensure continuous, efficient, and effective purchase of weapons, thus enhancing the island’s defense readiness. Without them, allies’ concerns will turn into frustrations. Amid an increasingly turbulent geopolitical landscape, Taipei will inevitably look to Washington for more arms purchases, but Washington should deliver.
Read more here.
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