Evolving US Arms Policy and Taiwan's Defense Strategy: A Historical Review
Taiwan's ongoing arms procurement strategy, shaped by US policy, highlights a long-standing dependency on American military support. The recent NT$780 billion defense budget reflects a shift away from domestic production, raising concerns about Taiwan's self-defense capabilities amidst increasing military pressures from China.
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Taiwan's Legislative Yuan approved a NT$780 billion special defense budget in May 2026, emphasizing reliance on US arms while omitting domestic production and joint R&D funding. This dependency stems from the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, which obligates the US to ensure Taiwan maintains a 'sufficient' self-defense capability without guaranteeing optimal military systems.
Historical arms sales have often prioritized US strategic interests over Taiwan's military self-sufficiency, resulting in outdated technology being provided. Current challenges include a backlog of undelivered arms and Taiwan's struggle to develop its own defense capabilities amid legislative deadlock and political fragmentation. Evaluating the effectiveness of an asymmetric defense strategy is imperative as Taiwan faces heightened military threats from the PLA, particularly as the 2027 readiness deadline looms.
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