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US should speed up arms deliveries to Taiwan, create regional stockpile, Senate hears
Witnesses warn delays and incomplete mandates under landmark 2022 law weaken deterrence as Washington prioritises better ties with Beijing
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Bochen Hanin Washington
Washington needs to accelerate arms sales to Taiwan and help establish a regional contingency stockpile for its defence, the US Senate heard on Thursday.
Such steps would help implement provisions in a landmark 2022 law – the Taiwan Enhanced Resilience Act (TERA) – that have not yet been fully realised, as well as boost morale on the self-governed island, witnesses said at a hearing hosted by the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Despite last week’s approval of a sale of aircraft parts to Taiwan, witnesses warned that Washington remains far from delivering the capabilities it has pledged.
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Years-long delays and unimplemented authorities have fuelled concerns in Taiwan and elsewhere that US support is softening as Washington seeks to stabilise ties with Beijing – a perception they said could embolden Chinese coercion.
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“[People’s Republic of China] experts and officials view Washington as currently prioritising relations with Beijing over Taipei and exercising caution in policy towards Taiwan so as not to undermine prospects for reaching deals with the PRC,” said Bonnie Glaser, a managing director of the Indo-Pacific programme at the German Marshall Fund think tank.
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