This is the first crossing by a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel through the Taiwan Strait since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office in October.

That year, Congress enacted the Taiwan Relations Act, which is the basis of the bilateral relationship that includes U.S. arms sales to help Taiwan maintain its self-defense.

“Taiwan will continue to reform national defense, strengthen whole-of-society defense resilience, demonstrate our determination for self-defense, and maintain peace through strength,” Kuo said.

“This will signal to the international community—especially the U.S. administration and Congress, who have so steadfastly supported Taiwan—that we are firmly committed and determined to advance our self-defense capabilities, and that we are undaunted

U.S. officials maintain that the sales are defensive in nature and consistent with longstanding U.S. policy to provide Taiwan with the weapons systems it needs for self-defense.

may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capacity as determined by the President and the Congress."

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.

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

self-governing island's efforts to boost its defenses.

He stressed the importance of self-sufficiency, noting that it would enable the domestic defense industry to produce unmanned aerial, maritime, and ground systems, thereby strengthening smart and sustainable defense capabilities.

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

The United States is bound by law to provide Taiwan with military equipment for its self-defense, despite the lack of formal ties.

Chen noted that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan create American jobs and meet the island’s urgent defense needs amid pressure from China. 

“Taiwan is determined to maintain robust self-defense both for itself and to contribute to Indo-Pacific peace and prosperity.”

“Consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States makes available to Taiwan defense articles and services necessary to enable it to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.”

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

It also emphasizes that the United States should ensure that Taiwan maintains sufficient self-defense capabilities, has a modern national defense force, and supports Taiwan’s anti-ship, anti-coast defense, air defense, and underwater combat capabilities

"[The deal] once again demonstrates that the robust cooperative partnership between Taiwan and the U.S. is helping bolster Taiwan's self-defense capabilities," he said.

The United States officially maintains a policy of strategic ambiguity on Taiwan but continues to provide the island with defensive arms, a practice Beijing strongly opposes.

The law authorizes the United States to provide Taiwan with military equipment for self-defense and set up a nonprofit corporation called the American Institute in Taiwan, now the de facto U.S. Embassy on the island.

A high-mobility artillery rocket system at the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan, on Sept. 17, 2025.

–Taiwan defense cooperation as essential to preserving peace in the Indo-Pacific region. Spokesperson Karen Kuo said Taiwan had noted repeated statements from Trump and U.S.

While Taiwan has a relatively self-reliant defense industry, upgrades are needed to integrate with U.S. systems, especially in weapon digitalization and artificial intelligence.

, it’s legally bound by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 to provide Taiwan with the arms necessary for self-defense.

Yet the policy allows the United States to maintain a non-diplomatic relationship with Taiwan based on the Taiwan Relations Act, to supply Taiwan with military equipment for the island’s self-defense.

Taiwan is a self-governed democracy that the CCP has never controlled but has vowed to annex by force. Xi told Trump that Taiwan “is the most important issue in China–U.S. relations” during their meeting.

The amended version of the page maintains that Washington would "make available defense articles and services as necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability."

The White House did not explain what defense articles and services will be provided to self-ruling Taiwan, which Beijing seeks to claim as its territory.

Her comments were widely viewed as a legal interpretation for Japan to exercise its right to collective self-defense and potentially deploy forces if a Taiwan conflict were to occur.

Taiwan is a self-governing democratic island that the Chinese regime claims as its own territory.