This is US President Donald Trump’s second arms sale to Taiwan during his second term. US President Donald Trump gestures as he makes an announcement about lowering the cost of drug prices in Washington on Dec. 19. REUTERS/Evelyn HocksteinThe weapons in this package are significantly different from those that Taipei had tended to procure before, such as advanced models of fighter jets and warships. “This package is full of weapons that will make a Chinese [landing] on Taiwan difficult to execute and sustain,” retired US Navy rear admiral Mark Montgomery said. The Nikkei Asia report also quoted an anonymous US government source, saying there are two major reasons for Taiwan’s shift in priorities.

Source: Taipei Times December 21, 2025 17:14 UTC