Taiwan, a de facto independent nation with its own democratically elected government, has relied on the United States for weapons for its self-defense.

Currently, the United States maintains a robust, nondiplomatic relationship with Taiwan, and supplies the island with military weapons and equipment for its self-defense against Beijing, which has threatened to forcibly annex the self-ruled island.

Taiwanese officials reiterated their commitment to strengthening self-defense and deepening cooperation with the United States, while China strongly condemned the sales, warning that they could heighten tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

Department of Defense was “pressing Japan and Australia to make clear what role they would play if the U.S. and China went to war over Taiwan.”

While opinions differ on whether the United States should or will directly get involved if the CCP invades Taiwan, it has been arming the island and training its military personnel for its self-defense, particularly since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Taiwan has been self-governed since 1949, however, and has never been under the control of the CCP, but is a flourishing democracy.

Part of China’s Strategy Ho Cheng-hui, CEO of civil defense group Kuma Academy, said the incident was part of China’s efforts to test the international community’s response level as it seeks to escalate its gray zone tactics against Taiwan.

The United States switched diplomatic recognition to the People’s Republic of China from Taiwan in 1979, but the Taiwan Relations Act, passed shortly after, provides for de facto diplomatic relations with Taiwan and provision for its self-defense needs

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, also in Singapore for the summit, said the Trump administration’s posture is aimed at deterring a Chinese invasion of Taiwan—an island the Chinese regime claims as its own.

While the United States recognizes Beijing as the official government of “China,” it continually equips Taiwan with weaponry to assist the island in self-defense against Beijing’s continued military threats.

The act authorizes the United States to provide the island with military equipment for its self-defense.

The Trump administration enhanced U.S. support of Taiwan by increasing arms sales for its self-defense and sending Cabinet officials to the island. Earlier this week, former national security adviser H.R.

Taiwan is a self-governed democracy that the CCP has never controlled but has vowed to annex by force.

China has ramped up military flights near Taiwan, sending more than 200 aircraft into Taiwan's air defense identification zone in October.

Taiwan, a self-governing democracy of about 23 million people, rejects Beijing’s claim of sovereignty and says only its people can decide their future.

Washington is required by law, known as the Taiwan Relations Act, to supply the self-ruled island with military equipment for its self-defense.

As tensions rise in the East China Sea and around Taiwan amid escalating activity by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Japan is taking significant steps to reinforce its defense posture.

Despite its non-diplomatic ties with the island, the United States maintains a robust relationship with Taipei based on the Taiwan Relations Act, which authorizes Washington to provide the island with military equipment for its self-defense.

The CCP aims to take control of Taiwan by any means necessary, even though Taiwan is a self-governing democracy. In April, Beijing staged a three-day military drill around Taiwan after Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen met with U.S.

Chen pointed to some recurring bilateral flashpoints, including the South China Sea and Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy viewed by the CCP as a breakaway province.

The People’s Liberation Army's (PLA) activities came roughly two weeks after the Trump administration approved a record $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan, the largest U.S. weapons package ever proposed for the self-ruled democratic island.

The 6th Air Wing of Japan Air Self-Defense Force's F-15 fighters hold a joint military drill with the U.S. B-52 bombers over the Sea of Japan on Dec. 10, 2025.

Taiwan, a de facto independent nation with its own democratically elected government, has relied on the United States for weapons for its self-defense, although the two are not official diplomatic allies.

The United States doesn’t have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan but maintains a robust informal relationship with the island under the Taiwan Relations Act, which provides it with weapons necessary for its self-defense.

He claims that China’s plans for military action will be implemented in three phases: First, impose a blockade around Taiwan, gradually escalating tensions to provoke a response, thus giving China the pretext to claim self-defense domestically and internationally

(Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images) China–Taiwan China sees the self-ruled island of Taiwan as part of its territory and has indicated that it plans to annex the region. In recent years, Beijing’s military harassment of Taiwan has intensified.

be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.’

Still, it allows Japan to exercise the right of collective self-defense, or to defend the United States or another friendly country that comes under attack, in cases where Japan faces a “threat to its survival.”

The act requires the United States to provide aid to Taiwan to ensure the island has a sufficient self-defense capability. A U.S.-made CH-47 helicopter flies an 18-meter by 12-meter national flag at a military base in Taoyuan on Sept. 28, 2021.

The self-ruled Taiwan, like Ukraine, faces rising aggression from its larger neighbor bent on bringing the territory under its control, by force if necessary.