by Belle Carter
Taiwan has just received the first batch of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) from the United States as the democratic island nation strengthens its defenses for a possible invasion attempt by communist China.
HIMARS is a truck-mounted mobile rocket launch system that can fire a variety of munitions. The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense noted that it purchased 29 HIMARS from the U.S. – 11 in 2020 and another 18 in 2022 – to boost its long-range rocket force projection capabilities.
A military official confirmed with Taiwan’s Central News Agency (CNA) that the first installment of weapons arrived in October. The package also included 64 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), with a range of up to 300 kilometers (186 miles) and guidance capabilities. Taiwan will receive the remaining military hardware by 2026.
The source further disclosed that the Republic of China (Taiwan) Army’s 58th Artillery Command is currently undergoing training on operating the rocket system. Taiwanese troops were also sent to Fort Still, Oklahoma to train on HIMARS with the U.S. Armed Forces. CNA reported that at least 17 soldiers from Taiwan completed training on the HIMARS in August, and Fort Sill’s Facebook page shared a photo of the Taiwanese troops.
The U.S. has also deployed troops to Taiwan for training in recent years, including on the outer islands of Kinmen, which are just a few miles off mainland China’s coast.
In the past five decades, the U.S. has sold Taiwan billions of dollars worth of military equipment and ammunition, including F-16 fighter jets and warships. Last year, the U.S. started providing U.S.-funded military aid. In September, President Joe Biden approved a $567 million arms package for Taiwan using the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows him to ship weapons straight from U.S. military stockpiles.
Despite warnings from China that the island is the “first red line” in U.S.-China relations that must not be crossed. Its continued military support to the nation has angered Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its own territory. President Joe Biden’s administration has continued to increase military support for the Southeast Asian country. (Related: U.S. to send $567M in military aid to Taiwan, ignoring China’s “red lines” related to the island nation.)
Taiwanese Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo Li-hsiung told reporters earlier in November that Taipei was “determined to continuously strengthen our self-defense capabilities” regardless of who wins the U.S. presidential election.
Taipei allocated a record $19 billion to the military for 2024 and next year’s budget is set to hit a new high.
Trump to focus on economic warfare with China; thinks Taiwan should pay U.S. for protection
Recent media appearances and interviews would suggest that President-elect Donald Trump would not be willing to meddle with Taiwan’s conflict with China as he’d rather go head-to-head with the world power in terms of economy.
“I think Taiwan should pay us for defense,” Trump told Bloomberg Businessweek back in June. “You know, we’re no different than an insurance company. Taiwan doesn’t give us anything.”
“They want us to protect, and they want protection. They don’t pay us money for the protection, you know. The mob makes you pay money, right? But with these countries that we protect, I got hundreds of billions of dollars from NATO countries that were never paying us,” he further argued.
More recently in October, Trump was also asked if he would defend Taiwan in a China invasion. He told the Wall Street Journal: “I wouldn’t have to because he [Chinese President Xi Jinping] respects me and he knows I’m f—— crazy.”
He was also asked how he would convince the Chinese leader to avoid the Taiwan invasion.
“I would say: If you go into Taiwan, I’m sorry to do this, I’m going to tax you” – meaning impose tariffs – “at 150 percent to 200 percent,” adding that he may even ban trade between the two nations.
Experts also believe Trump will be focused on economic warfare with China – rather than military.
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Watch the video below that talks about Trump’s potential “trade conflict” with China.
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