Significant delays in US arms deliveries to Taiwan highlight slow progress, with Abrams tanks and HIMARS systems arriving much later than planned, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Taiwan has finally received 38 Abrams tanks after a five-year wait. The newspaper noted that supply chain issues have proven a more significant obstacle to delivering advanced US weaponry to Taiwan than warnings from Beijing.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory. The US officially adheres to Beijing’s One-China policy, recognizing Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic, but simultaneously maintains military cooperation with the Taiwanese government, a stance Beijing strongly opposes.
According to Eric Gomez, a defense analyst at the Cato Institute, cited in the WSJ report, the backlog of undelivered US weapons destined for Taiwan reached over $20 billion earlier this year.
The report stated that Taiwan welcomed the arrival of its first M1A2 Abrams tanks this week. These 38 tanks are part of a 108-unit order placed in June 2019 during the Trump administration, with initial delivery expected in 2022. Delays of two years are attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic and increased global demand due to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
These tanks represent the latest in a series of delayed US arms shipments to Taiwan. Recent deliveries, including HIMARS systems last month, have reduced the total backlog to approximately $19.17 billion, Gomez stated. Delivery of the remaining 70 Abrams tanks and F-16V fighter jets is expected by 2026.
Taiwan is also scheduled to receive TOW-2B anti-tank missiles by year’s end. The sale of these missiles was approved nearly a decade ago under the Obama administration.
Beijing has consistently opposed US arms sales to Taipei. On Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian urged Washington to “stop arming Taiwan and stop encouraging or supporting ‘Taiwan independence’ forces trying to achieve their goals through military means.”
China’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that Washington’s continued support for Taipei contradicts previous US commitments under the August 17 Communiqué of 1982, where the US pledged not to pursue a long-term policy of arms sales to the island and intended to gradually reduce such sales.