Former U.S. President Trump (Donald Trump) has been elected as the 47th President of the United States. Foreign media reports that Taiwan may initiate a large-scale arms purchase from the United States. Members of the Republic of China’s legislature have stated, “Our military procurement focuses on functional capabilities and is a commitment to self-defense.”
According to the UK’s Financial Times, Taiwan is considering purchasing a large number of weapons from the U.S., including ships produced by Lockheed Martin and the E-2D “Advanced Hawkeye” early warning aircraft produced by Northrop Grumman. Taiwan also hopes to acquire more Patriot missiles and may request F-35 fighter jets.
ROC legislator Chen Guan-ting mentioned in a media group that the core goal of Taiwan’s military procurement is to demonstrate a commitment to self-defense. The main consideration of military procurement policy should be the security needs of the Taiwanese people and how to effectively defend the homeland. Choosing to procure arms from the U.S., a partner with optimal military capabilities and a long-standing cooperative relationship, is based on practical considerations and is in line with national interests.
Regarding the possible military procurement list mentioned in the Financial Times, which includes 60 F-35 fighter jets, 4 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye early warning aircraft, 10 retired U.S. Navy ships, and 400 Patriot missiles, Chen Guan-ting believes that the focus should not be overly placed on externally perceived “flagship equipment,” but should prioritize Taiwan’s most urgent defense needs.
“Facing threats from the People’s Republic of China, from grey-zone conflicts to potential military standoffs, what Taiwan needs more is a complete air defense system, stable logistical supply capabilities, and solid personnel technical training,” said Chen Guan-ting, emphasizing that these defense capabilities may not draw as much attention as advanced weapon systems like the F-35, but they are crucial for enhancing Taiwan’s overall defense capabilities.
Chen Guan-ting stressed that the allocation of the military procurement budget should be based on actual defense needs and financial capacity. “Military procurements that meet Taiwan’s defense needs are genuinely in Taiwan’s interest. What we need is a practical and effective national defense development, not military acquisitions pursued for specific purposes.”
KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang responded today, stating that maintaining a strong national defense is a consensus across the political spectrum, emphasizing that the issue of military procurement is not temporary but a consideration that should be continuous. He also expressed concern about previously procured but still pending and undelivered military items.
Former Taipei bureau chief of Japan’s Sankei Shimbun, Yasuta Akio, stated in a Facebook post that Trump has repeatedly mentioned wanting Taiwan to pay “protection money.” Since the possibility of having U.S. troops stationed in Taiwan in the short term is not very high, Taiwan should pay “protection money” to the U.S. through purchasing American weapons. After Trump takes office as president, he is very likely to actively sell weapons to Taiwan, just as he did in his first term, strengthening Taiwan’s defense capabilities and increasing the cost of military actions by the PRC against Taiwan.
Yasuta Akio indicated that during his first term, President Trump initiated the U.S.-China trade war, significantly increasing tariffs on Chinese imports to the U.S. and actively blocking the flow of advanced technologies such as semiconductors to China. There is a high probability that this trend will continue into his second term. With China’s already difficult economy facing further challenges, the difficulty of the PRC launching military actions against Taiwan will increase.
Presidential Office Spokesperson Kuo Ya-hui stated to the media on the 11th that in the face of the increasing military threats from the PRC in the Taiwan Strait and the region, Taiwan and neighboring countries continue to strengthen defense deterrent forces to demonstrate their determination for autonomous defense. There have been discussions and alignments of military needs between Taiwan and the U.S. for some time, but there are currently no new discussions in the next phase.