The US should speed up weapons deliveries to Taiwan as it faces serious threats from China, US Senator Dan Sullivan has said.

The backlog of arms shipments worth $19 billion (NT$590.01 billion) prompted Sullivan and fellow Senator Rick Scott to introduce a bill to prioritise providing weapons to Taiwan in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday (June 20), CNA reported.

The bill calls on US Secretary of Defense Austin Lloyd to ensure Taiwan receives priority access to defensive weapons and services purchased through the Foreign Military Sales programme.

Sullivan pointed out that political circles in Washington agree Taiwan is being threatened by China. However, the delay in arms shipments has continued.

These weapons were purchased by Taiwan, yet they are scheduled for delivery only in the late 2020s, he said.

The senator said it is Washington’s responsibility to address this issue. By placing Taiwan at the top of the delivery priority list, it aligns US priorities with its public statements, he said.

On May 24, a batch of US-made Stinger missiles and relevant equipment arrived in Taiwan.

The shipment, made possible by the use of the Presidential Drawdown Authority, is valued at $500 million (NT$15.3 billion), Liberty Times reported. This tool allows weapons deliveries to be expedited to foreign countries and international organisations in response to “unforeseen emergencies,” according to the US State Department.

There has been a large push in US Congress to provide Taiwan with the weapons it needs to defend itself against a Chinese invasion. There are growing concerns an attack could happen in 2027, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4926562

Category: Taiwan