U.S. approves largest-ever arms sale to Taiwan

The United States approved the largest-ever arms sale to Taiwan on Wednesday, worth more than $11 billion. The package includes short-range ballistic missiles, self-propelled howitzers, portable anti-tank missiles and, perhaps most notably, 82 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems. These have proved to be vital in Ukraine’s defense against Russia, even with Ukraine receiving fewer than 40 units. China’s long-threatened invasion of Taiwan across 100 miles of ocean would be a logistically nightmarish and costly campaign, and it would be even more challenging against these advanced systems. The Chinese Communist Party issued a statement that essentially said: We are outraged that you would dare to complicate our planned and grossly illegal invasion. The question now is about the delivery times and whether the news prompts China to make a move before this new kit is delivered and operational. In either case, the Trumpet maintains that Taiwan’s days of freedom are numbered.