Taiwan receives US arms years behind planned
Date
12/22/2024 7:30:13 AM
(MENAFN) Taiwan has finally received 38 Abrams tanks from the US after a five-year wait, according to the Wall Street Journal. The delay, largely caused by supply chain issues, has been more effective in hindering the delivery of advanced American weaponry to Taiwan than China’s warnings. Taiwan had ordered a total of 108 M1A2 Abrams tanks in 2019, with the first batch now arriving. Originally expected in 2022, the deliveries were delayed by two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased global demand for military supplies linked to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The backlog of undelivered US weapons to Taiwan reached over $20 billion at its peak earlier this year, with recent shipments, including HIMARS rocket systems, reducing this amount to $19.17 billion. Taiwan is also set to receive remaining tanks, F-16V fighter jets, and TOW-2B anti-tank missiles by 2026, though the delayed deliveries have sparked criticism from Beijing, which opposes US arms sales to Taiwan. China asserts that these sales contradict past commitments by the US to limit arms supplies to the island and opposes any actions that could encourage Taiwanese independence.
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