Taiwan’s parliament has approved a major weapons procurement package from the United States valued at roughly $9 billion, strengthening the island’s defense capabilities amid rising regional tensions.
Lawmakers in the Legislative Yuan passed the measure Friday, authorizing the government of Taiwan to move forward with four major arms purchases from the United States.
The weapons packages form part of a broader $11 billion arms agreement announced by Washington in December.
The approved systems include TOW missile anti-tank missiles, M109A7 Paladin artillery systems, FGM-148 Javelin missiles and HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems.
Parliament Speaker Han Kuo-yu said the legislature approved the package unanimously, stressing that national security and the protection of territorial integrity remain top priorities.
Han also called on the government to present a clear delivery timetable so lawmakers can monitor the implementation of the deal.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan had warned that delaying the agreements could cause Taiwan to lose its place in the global production and delivery queue for the weapons systems.
The ministry said the procurement plan was prepared through a rigorous approval process to meet the military’s operational needs.
The arms deal has been politically sensitive in Taiwan, where President Lai Ching-te previously proposed a larger $40 billion defense budget that has stalled in parliament due to opposition concerns over the scope of the spending.
Opposition parties including the Kuomintang and the Taiwan People's Party have introduced scaled-down alternatives, and several competing proposals remain under review.
The vote comes as China has intensified military drills around Taiwan in recent years. Beijing claims the island as part of its territory and has repeatedly warned it could use force to assert its sovereignty.
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