What Joe Biden’s latest Taiwan arms package says about US cross-strait intentions

President Joe Biden’s latest and largest Taiwan arms sale represents a “significant broadening” of US support for the island, according to observers citing the first-ever inclusion of an advanced missile defence system battle-tested in Ukraine.

Last week’s scale-up comes amid rising aerial threats from the People’s Liberation Army, they have pointed out.

Unlike previous Biden packages that largely consisted of spare parts and services, the US$2 billion package approved last Friday included the first National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) delivery.

Three days later, veteran US diplomat Ingrid Larson, managing director of the Washington office of the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto US embassy, arrived in Taipei for a five-day visit.

Two weeks earlier, the PLA staged its latest large-scale military drills around Taiwan, including a record number of air force forays. Beijing called the “Joint Sword-2024B” exercise on October 14 a warning to Taiwan separatist forces, after what it said was yet another provocative speech by the island’s independence-leaning leader, William Lai Ching-te.

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. While the United States, like most countries, does not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, it is opposed to any attempt to take the island by force and is committed to arming it for defence.