Taiwan considers big US defence purchases as overture to Trump

Taiwan is considering buying a big package of US weapons, including the Aegis destroyer, to show the incoming administration of Donald Trump that it is serious about boosting its own defences against China.

Several people familiar with the situation said Taipei would probably request the Lockheed Martin vessels and Northrop Grumman’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, an airborne radar system. It also wants more Patriot missiles and may request F-35 fighter jets, which would be controversial in Washington.

“Taiwan is thinking about a package to show that they are serious,” said one former Trump administration official.

“Assuming they follow through, they will go to the US national security adviser when they are named and present a very aggressive package of American hardware.”

The deliberations come as countries consider how to avoid becoming a target of the new administration given the emphasis Trump has put on the need for allies to spend more on defence.

Elbridge Colby, a former Pentagon official and candidate for a top job in the Pentagon or on the National Security Council, has been vocal in urging Taiwan to spend more. “Those who care about Taiwan should be super clear they need to dramatically step up. Their fate hangs in the balance,” he recently wrote on social media platform X.

A senior Taiwanese national security official said there had been “informal discussions” with the Trump team about what kind of arms package would demonstrate Taiwan’s determination to invest in its own defence.

“There are quite a few big platforms and other items that our armed forces have had their eyes on for a long time but have not been able to acquire, so there’s a lot to choose from,” the official said.

A second Taiwanese official said Aegis would be near the top of the list. But officials and defence experts said there were other more expensive items Taiwan needs that would leave a bigger impression.

“If you are talking about a wish list, this is the time to ask for F-35s,” said Su Tzu-yun, a senior official at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, the Taiwanese defence ministry’s think-tank. He added that Taiwan would probably request retired Ticonderoga-class cruisers and Perry-class frigates.

“Taiwan’s instinct to invest more in its own defence is right and in the first Trump administration, historic arms sales packages were approved,” said Heino Klinck, a former senior Pentagon official in the first Trump term.

Klinck said there should be “minimal [spending] thresholds for partners facing an existential threat”. But he stressed the importance of prioritising critical capabilities, such as munitions, command and control, air and missile defence, and to enact defence reforms. 

“Requesting F-35s would not make much sense operationally or fiscally,” Klinck said.

People familiar with the discussions said Taiwan could request as many as 60 F-35 fighters, four Advanced Hawkeyes, 10 retired warships and 400 Patriot missiles — a package that Su estimated would be worth more than $15bn.

Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the US-Taiwan Business Council, said there was a recognition in Washington that Taiwan had come a long way in defence spending but still had much more to do.

He pointed out that Colby had been “laser-focused” on the issue of Taiwanese defence spending and said a large package “could look like a down payment that would attempt to get off on the right foot with the new administration”.

Taiwanese officials said concerns about the risk of a second Trump administration were overblown.

“There is strong bipartisan backing for Taiwan, as you can see from the steady flow of legislation and resolutions aimed at bolstering support for Taiwan,” said the second official.

“The first Trump administration oversaw more frequent and higher-level visits and it unblocked arms sales to our country.”

During Trump’s first term, the US approved 11 packages to Taiwan worth $21bn, including F-16 fighter jets and Abrams tanks.

The Biden administration approved deals worth $7bn. It tried to force Taipei to allocate its limited defence budget differently and prioritise stockpiling munitions and other cheaper, mobile weapons suitable for attacking a superior invader over buying traditional big-ticket systems.

The Taiwanese package is being managed by two veteran US hands in vice-president Hsiao Bi-khim and Joseph Wu, the national security adviser.

Karen Kuo, spokesperson for President Lai Ching-te, would not confirm or deny if top officials were having discussions with the Trump team about a potential arms procurement proposal.

“Facing the ever increasing military threat from China in the Taiwan Strait and elsewhere in the region, Taiwan and other countries nearby are all continuing to strengthen their defences,” Kuo said. 

The Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment.