TAIPEI, Jan 15 — Taiwan expects more US arms sales, with four additional packages still awaiting formal notification to the US Congress, a senior defence official said today, following the announcement of an unprecedented US$11 billion (RM44.54 billion) deal last month.
Vice Defence Minister Hsu Szu-chien said the pending cases remain subject to the usual congressional notification process, but declined to provide further details for legal reasons. The comments were reported by Reuters.
“Don’t ask me what four these are, I cannot say, but there are still four cases yet to be notified to Congress,” Hsu told reporters in Taipei after a weekly Cabinet meeting.
The United States remains Taiwan’s most important international backer and arms supplier despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties. China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, staged military exercises around the island in late December after the latest arms package was announced.
The December deal covers eight defence items, including HIMARS rocket systems made by Lockheed Martin and Altius loitering munition drones.
In November, President Lai Ching-te unveiled plans to boost defence spending by an additional US$40 billion through 2033, citing growing security threats from China.
However, opposition lawmakers — who hold the most seats in Parliament — have blocked the proposal from advancing to the committee stage, arguing that the spending details are vague and require further scrutiny.
Hsu said Defence Minister Wellington Koo will provide lawmakers with a confidential briefing on Monday, stressing that the ministry is willing to explain the plans.
“It is not that we are unwilling to explain — give us an opportunity to explain, a legal opportunity,” Hsu said, adding: “This is not a ‘black box’.”
Taiwan’s democratically elected government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, maintaining that only the island’s people can decide their future. — Reuters
