The US State Department on Friday approved the sale of $330 million worth of arms to Taiwan, the first such sale since Donald Trump returned to the White House. China condemned the decision, stating that it "firmly opposes" it.

A first since December 2024. The United States has approved an arms sale to Taiwan, the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday.

"This is the first time the new Trump administration has announced an arms sale to Taiwan," he said, after the U.S. State Department approved the potential sale to Taiwan of $330 million worth of spare parts and related equipment for its F-16 fighter jets and other aircraft.

China quickly reacted to the announcement, expressing its displeasure. "The Taiwan issue is at the heart of China's core interests and constitutes an absolute red line in Sino-American relations," Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told reporters, specifying that Beijing "firmly" opposed the sale. He added that China "will take all necessary measures to firmly defend its sovereignty, national security, and territorial integrity."

American ambiguity

While the United States is legally obligated to provide arms to Taiwan, Washington has long maintained a "strategic ambiguity" regarding the potential deployment of its armed forces to defend the island in the event of a Chinese attack. Nevertheless, Washington remains Taiwan's strongest supporter, despite China's claim to sovereignty over the island.

Thus, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has pledged to increase military spending as China maintains its military pressure around the island. Although Taiwan has its own defense industry, its military would be vastly outmatched in a conflict with China, and it remains heavily reliant on American weapons.