Washington considers $14bn defence deal with Taiwan

The United States is considering approving a major arms package for Taiwan worth approximately $14 billion, which it could officially announce following President Donald Trump’s planned visit to China.

According to Reuters sources familiar with the negotiations, the package is expected to include, in particular, advanced PAC-3 anti-aircraft missiles and the NASAMS system. If Trump were to sign it, it would be the largest arms contract in the history of the island, which faces growing military pressure from Beijing.

The agreement has so far been kept under wraps ahead of Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, scheduled for late March. At the same time, however, the administration is signalling that support for Taiwan remains a priority of US security strategy.

According to available information, additional projects worth approximately $6 billion focused on so called asymmetric defence could be added to the package.

(Reuters, pir)