 "US approves $330M aircraft parts sale to Taiwan, boosting defense amid rising China tensions and sparking Beijing’s strong opposition.")
On October 13, 2025, the US approved the sale to Taiwan of spare parts for fighter jets and other aircraft for $330 million. The US has said that the proposed sale would improve Taiwan’s capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of its fleet of F-16, C-130, and other aircraft. The US is bound by its Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character.
This was the first such transaction since President Donald Trump took office in January. It would be recalled that when Trump and Chinese President Xi met late last month in South Korea in an effort to secure a trade deal, there were fears that for securing the trade deal, there could be some sort of “selling out” of Taiwan’s interests by Trump to Xi. It would also be recalled that in September this year Trump had declined to approve $400 million in military aid to Taiwan while negotiating on trade and a potential summit with the Chinese President.
Naturally, Taiwan has welcomed the proposed US arms sales and expressed gratitude for it, viewing them as crucial for enhancing its self-defence capabilities against China’s military threats. Taiwan’s Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo stated that Taiwan is sincerely grateful to the US government “for its unwavering commitment to continue the policy of normalising arms sales to Taiwan, strengthen the cooperative security relationship between Taiwan and the US, and support Taiwan in enhancing self-defence capabilities and resilience.”
However, China has expressed anger. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that the move seriously violates the one-China principle and warned that China will take “all necessary measures” to defend its sovereignty. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that “the Taiwan question is the core of China’s interests and that it is a red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations,” adding that the arms sales would send a “gravely wrong signal” to Taiwan’s separatist forces.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to take control of the island. On the other hand, Taiwan’s government strongly objects to Beijing’s sovereignty claims and says that only Taiwan’s people can decide their future. In this background, the potential for escalation is a constant concern for the region, and US policy becomes an important factor.
Taiwan was not part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from the beginning. The PRC was established in 1949 after the Chinese Civil War, while the government of the Republic of China (ROC) retreated to Taiwan, which has been the ROC government’s effective jurisdiction ever since. The ROC had previously governed mainland China before the war, and prior to that, Taiwan had been a Japanese colony from 1895 to 1945, having been returned to ROC administration after World War II.
America’s policy toward Taiwan is defined by strategic ambiguity, as the US deliberately does not state whether it would intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan. This ambiguity is intended to deter China from attacking and to prevent Taiwan from unilaterally declaring independence. Even though the US does not formally recognise Taiwan as an independent state, it maintains unofficial ties through organizations like the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which functions as a de facto embassy. The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), passed by the US Congress in 1979, mandates that the US provide Taiwan with defensive arms and maintain the capacity to resist any resort to force that would jeopardize Taiwan’s security.
The US acknowledges Beijing’s position that there is “one China” and that Taiwan is part of China. However, the US does not explicitly endorse Beijing’s claim of sovereignty over Taiwan. The US has increased military cooperation with Taiwan, though it does not have a permanent military presence there. This cooperation includes joint exercises and training, with small numbers of American military personnel sometimes present on the island in an advisory capacity. A core part of US policy is to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character. While Washington maintains that these sales support Taiwan’s defence and are part of a long-standing policy, military sales remain a recurring source of friction in the already complex US-China relationship.
China has been conducting war drills near Taiwan. The drills have included naval and air force patrols, as well as simulated strikes on key Taiwanese infrastructure. China states that the drills are a stern warning against what it views as separatism. The drills also serve to demonstrate capabilities for a potential blockade or invasion. Recent drills have involved sending numerous military aircraft, warships, and coast guard vessels to surround Taiwan. Some exercises have included long-range live-fire drills practicing precision strikes on Taiwanese targets such as ports and energy facilities. Therefore, US sales of jet and other aircraft parts significantly help Taiwan by enabling it to maintain the operational readiness of its air force, bolster its air defences, and strengthen its self-defence capabilities against potential aggression from China.
China’s threat to Taiwan is serious, driven by Beijing’s goal of “reunification” and a rapidly modernising military. China’s posturing toward Taiwan is one of increasing military, diplomatic, and economic coercion, asserting its claim of sovereignty while preparing for potential forceful unification. Beijing views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve its goal of “reunification”, a goal President Xi Jinping considers an “inevitable requirement”.
China has significantly escalated its military pressure, conducting frequent and large-scale military exercises resembling “dress rehearsals” for an invasion around the island. These actions include regular incursions of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and naval vessels into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) and across the Taiwan Strait’s median line, which China no longer formally recognises.
Drills in May and October 2024, titled “Joint Sword,” simulated a full-scale blockade and precision strikes on key targets. Beijing’s efforts are to normalise a high tempo of military activity, creating a “new normal” in the Strait to wear down Taiwan’s defences and reduce its warning time for a real attack. This involves systematic preparation of military and civilian infrastructure for a potential cross-strait operation, including developing amphibious landing capabilities using civilian ferries and stockpiling resources.
The Taiwan issue is also a major source of tension between Japan and China, with recent events demonstrating a significant escalation in diplomatic and security friction. Taiwan is located just over 110 km from Japanese territory, and key maritime trade routes critical to Japan’s economy run through the area. A conflict in the Taiwan Strait is viewed by Japan as a direct threat to its own national security, potentially a “survival-threatening situation”.
While officially maintaining strategic ambiguity and hoping for a peaceful resolution, some Japanese leaders have stated that Japan could not stand by if China invaded Taiwan, suggesting potential military involvement alongside the United States. This view is often described as “a Taiwan emergency is a Japan emergency”. China, which claims Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out the use of force for reunification, views any Japanese involvement as gross interference in its internal affairs and a challenge to its core interests. Beijing has issued stern warnings, with its military cautioning Japan of a “crushing defeat” if it intervened militarily.
Comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, suggesting that Japan could use its self-defence forces in the event of a Chinese attack, led to an intense “war of words”, diplomatic protests, and the summoning of ambassadors by both sides in November 2025. A Chinese diplomat even made an inflammatory social media post that was interpreted as a physical threat to the Japanese Prime Minister, further worsening relations.
Thus, Japan’s security concerns over a potential Taiwan conflict clash directly with China’s sovereignty claims, creating a volatile dynamic that significantly heightens tensions between the two regional powers. The issue touches on existing historical grievances between the two nations, which remain a sensitive point in bilateral relations and add to the current friction.
Taiwan is economically crucial to the US and the world, primarily due to its dominance in the global semiconductor industry, producing most of the world’s advanced chips essential for modern technology. Its importance extends to other supply chains for goods like apparel and bicycles, and it is a significant trading partner for the US and many other countries. America sees Taiwan as a secure and trusted partner in diversifying supply chains away from China, particularly for advanced technology products.
Taiwan’s role as a global leader in advanced semiconductor manufacturing makes its production critical for economies worldwide. The disruption of these chips would affect the supply of numerous technologies globally. Beyond semiconductors, Taiwan is a key player in other high-tech supply chains for a variety of products, making it an indispensable link in the global economy. Taiwan is a significant trading partner for many nations, with major exports including electronics, metals, plastics, and chemicals. Its key export markets include China, the US, Japan, and other Southeast Asian and European countries.
Taiwan is also an important trading partner for India, with their bilateral trade growing steadily, reaching around $11.78 billion in 2024-2025. India’s imports from Taiwan are crucial, especially for items like semiconductors, electronics, precision machinery, and solar cells. Over 300 Taiwanese companies have invested in India, creating around 200,000 jobs across various sectors like IT, electronics, and machinery. The partnership is evolving beyond just trade to encompass technology, manufacturing, and innovation. Taiwan’s advanced manufacturing expertise is seen as complementary to India’s large consumer market and industrial goals.
Summing up, the US sale of aircraft parts to Taiwan will likely strain US-China relations, increasing tensions as China views such sales as interference in its internal affairs and a threat to regional stability. The sale will improve Taiwan’s ability to maintain its existing fleet of F-16 and C-130 aircraft, bolstering its self-defence capabilities. While China has warned of serious consequences and may impose sanctions, the US frames the sale as a necessary sustainment measure for existing aircraft rather than an escalation. The issue is a core flashpoint that requires careful diplomatic management by both sides to prevent miscalculation.
(The writer is a retired Indian diplomat and had previously served as Ambassador in Kuwait and Morocco and as Consul General in New York. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.)