Ministry of Foreign Affairs The United States allowed the sale to Taiwan Of spare parts and spare parts for Military aircraft For $330 million, a move that represents the first defense deal between the two since Donald Trump returned to the White House. The action that caused it Immediate and strong reaction from ChinaIt is part of the context of the growing dispute between Washington and Beijing over the situation in the Strait.
In an official statement, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said that the Taiwanese representation in the United States requested non-standard components, maintenance materials, consumables and accessories intended for F-16 fighters, C-130 transport aircraft and the IDFthe fighter developed by the island’s military industry. According to the agency, the operation complies with US legislation and contributes to supporting the modernization of the Taiwanese military apparatus.
DSCA also explained that the package would be sourced from the US government’s own reserves, which would speed up transportation times.
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, the arrival of these pieces will allow it to continue the operational preparation of its air squadrons, enhance its anti-aircraft defense capability, and improve the response to “gray zone” incursions, non-overt military pressure tactics that China frequently deploys.
The announcement came weeks after Trump’s meeting in South Korea with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a meeting in which the island issue was not addressed publicly but left strong statements from the US president. In a later interview with CBS, Trump confirmed that China would not take military action during his administration, stressing that Chinese authorities “know the consequences.”
Beijing’s reaction was immediate and strong. At a press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian asserted that the US decision “seriously violates China’s sovereignty and security interests” and accused Washington of sending a “very negative” signal to pro-independence sectors in Taiwan. Moreover, he reiterated that the Taiwan issue constitutes the “first inviolable red line” in bilateral relations.
China considers the island an integral part of its territory and does not rule out resorting to force to achieve reunification, a major goal since Xi came to power in 2012. The United States, for its part, is the main arms supplier to Taipei and maintains a tacit but decades-long commitment to aid it in the event of a conflict, despite the fact that it does not maintain formal diplomatic relations.
Washington’s new move, which could take place within a month, once again puts the region in a scenario of extreme tension. While the White House insists on ensuring Taiwan’s defense capabilities, China warns that it will not tolerate any action that it sees as an obstacle to its goal of reunifying the two parts of Taiwan. Between the two powers, the island remains the center of one of the most sensitive geopolitical disputes of the 21st century.
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