Taiwan considering multi billion dollar arms purchase from US sources say

WASHINGTON/TAIPEI - Taiwan is exploring buying arms worth billions of dollars from the United States, sources briefed on the matter said, hoping to win support from the new Trump administration as China continues to apply military pressure on the island.

Three sources familiar with the situation, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation, told Reuters that Taiwan is in talks with Washington.

The package is meant to demonstrate to the United States that Taiwan is committed to its defence, one of the sources said.

A second source said the package would include coastal defence cruise missiles and Himars rockets.

I would be very surprised if it was less than $8 billion. Somewhere between US$7 billion (S$9 billion) to US$10 billion, the source added.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, US national security adviser Mike Waltz has said he wants to speed delivery of weapons to Taiwan.

Taiwans defence ministry declined to comment on specific purchases but said it is focused on building its defences.

Any weaponry and equipment that can achieve those goals for building the military are listed as targets for tender, it said.

China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan strongly objects to China’s sovereignty claims and says only the island’s people can decide their future.

Trump-Taiwan relations

US President Donald Trump unnerved chip powerhouse Taiwan on the election campaign trail by saying the island stole American semiconductor business. This month, he threatened tariffs on chip imports.

But his administration maintained diplomatic support for the Chinese-claimed island.

Mr Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba issued a joint statement on Feb 7 opposing any attempt to change