Taiwan’s defense minister urged China to abandon military coercion even as his country secured a $700 million acquisition of advanced American air defense systems. Wellington Koo’s public call for peaceful dispute resolution coincides with Pentagon confirmation of the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) sale amid escalating regional tensions.
RTX received a firm fixed-price contract to deliver three NASAMS medium-range air defense units to Taiwan, with procurement work scheduled through February 2031. The platform, currently deployed in Ukraine where it has demonstrated effectiveness against Russian aerial threats, will provide Taiwan with enhanced defensive capabilities. The Pentagon allocated $698,948,760 from fiscal year 2026 foreign military sales funds specifically for Taiwan. Taiwan joins Australia and Indonesia as the only Indo-Pacific operators of this sophisticated defensive technology, fulfilling commitments from a broader $2 billion defense package announced last year.
The senior American diplomat in Taiwan delivered emphatic statements about enduring bilateral security commitments during remarks at a business forum. The official declared that American support for Taiwan is “rock solid” and permanent, backed by expanding defense industrial cooperation. The strategic approach focuses on enabling Taiwan to maintain peace through demonstrable strength and credible deterrence.
This confirmation represents the second major weapons authorization within a week, following a $330 million approval for fighter jet and aircraft components days earlier. Combined, the two deals total $1 billion in approved military equipment, with the fighter parts marking the first authorization since the new administration took office in January. The rapid succession signals accelerated engagement with Taiwan’s defense requirements, drawing gratitude from Taipei and anger from Beijing.
When asked about escalating regional tensions, Defense Minister Wellington Koo told reporters that “China should abandon its thinking of using force to resolve things.” His comments came amid multiple provocative incidents, including Chinese coast guard operations near disputed East China Sea islands and Chinese drone flights through sensitive airspace between Taiwan and Japan, prompting Japanese fighter jet scrambles. China maintains sovereignty claims over Taiwan that the island’s government categorically rejects. Chinese military forces conduct almost daily operations around Taiwan in what Taipei describes as “grey zone” warfare designed to test defenses and exhaust resources. Taiwan pursues comprehensive military modernization, including ambitious indigenous submarine programs to secure vital maritime routes. Despite lacking formal diplomatic relations, the United States remains legally bound to provide Taiwan with necessary defensive means, consistently drawing Beijing’s opposition.
