Taiwan to Buy More Than 1,000 Stinger Missiles From US Amid China Tension

Ukrainian military members move U.S.–made FIM-92 Stinger missiles and the other military assistance shipped from Lithuania to Boryspil Airport in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 13, 2022. Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images

Taiwan has planned to increase its procurement of short-range Stinger missiles from the United States to boost its defense capabilities amid communist China’s ongoing military threats, according to the island’s defense ministry.

In a recent budget report, the ministry stated its aim to procure 1,985 Stringer missiles, in addition to the 500 missiles already ordered for its navy and army, local media outlet Liberty Times reported on Sept. 1.

According to the report, the ministry has received approval from the U.S. government for its revised order, raising the value of the arms sales from NT$13.37 billion (about $417 million) to NT$69 billion (about $2.15 billion).

The revised order will also include 549 launching systems and 549 sets of Identification Friend or Foe transponders for the Taiwanese army, which are expected to arrive by 2031.

The first batch of Stinger missiles is scheduled for delivery in 2025 and will be deployed to the island’s army and marine units, military police in Taipei, navy ships, and coast guard garrisons, according to the ministry.

The second shipment of Stinger missiles is expected to arrive by 2031 and will be kept in reserve, according to the ministry.

Taiwan has sought to increase its military equipment purchases amid the Chinese military’s repeated incursions into the island’s airspace in recent months.

Taiwan’s military spotted 30 Chinese warplanes, seven vessels, and four official ships around the island on Aug. 30, according to the ministry. Of these, 20 warplanes crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone.

Taiwan responded by deploying aircraft, navy vessels, and coastal missile systems to monitor the Chinese military’s activity.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which has never ruled Taiwan, considers the self-governed island to be a renegade province and has never ruled out the possibility of using force to control it.

Washington does not support Taiwan’s independence and opposes any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side but has stated that it would still provide Taiwan with the capabilities necessary for defense.

In June, the Biden administration approved a $360 million weapons sale to Taiwan, sending the island hundreds of armed drones, missile equipment, and related support material.

The sale included 291 Altius-600M systems, which are unmanned aerial vehicles with warheads, and 720 Switchblade drones, known as “extended-range loitering munitions,” the State Department said at the time.

The arms transfer would “help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region,” the department stated.

The CCP has expressed strong opposition to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, saying that such sales violate the “one-China principle” and constitute interference in China’s internal affairs. In July, Beijing imposed sanctions on six U.S. defense companies and five senior executives over arms sales to Taiwan.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.