Amid threats from China, Taipai is growing concerned about the Trump administration’s commitment to arming the island.
Published On ۲ Oct ۲۰۲۶
The United States has delivered two F-۱۶V Block ۷۰ fighter jets to Taiwan as the island seeks to build its defence capabilities to deter a feared attack by China.
The aircraft, built by US defence contractor Lockheed Martin, are part of an $۸bn deal for ۶۶ F-۱۶Vs approved during President Donald Trump’s first term. They landed on Friday following months of delay due to repeated requests from Beijing to the US to stop arming Taiwan.
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The jets, which flew via Hawaii and Guam, touched down at noon (۰۴:۰۰ GMT) local time. They arrived a week after Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington.
Taiwan is eyeing a rising military threat from Beijing, which claims the democratically governed island as its own territory.
“Of course we won’t only have delivered these two [F-۱۶Vs] by the end of the year,” Minister of National Defence Wellington Koo said.
The arrival of the planes comes amid growing concern in Taiwan about the Trump administration’s commitment to arming Taipei.
The US is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, but the two have no formal diplomatic relations.
Trump said in May, after meeting Xi in Beijing, that he was holding out on a new $۱۴bn package for Taiwan, though he did approve one worth $۱۱bn in December ۲۰۲۵.
Washington has said there has been no change in policy.
“We continue standing with friends and allies across the Indo-Pacific to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values — that includes Taiwan,” a US State Department spokesperson said when asked about the delivery.
The F-۱۶Vs, which received an upgrade in ۲۰۲۳, have advanced avionics, weapons and radar systems to better counter the Chinese air force, including its J-۲۰ stealth fighters.
However, Washington has been unwilling to provide Taiwan with its most advanced fighters, such as the F-۲۲ or F-۳۵.
