US delivers F-16V fighter jets to Taiwan as island eyes threat from China

Amid threats from China, Taipai is increasing acrophobic astir the Trump administration’s committedness to arming the island.

The United States has delivered 2 F-16V ⁠Block 70 combatant jets to Taiwan arsenic the land seeks to physique its defence capabilities to deter a feared onslaught by China.

The aircraft, built by US defence contractor Lockheed Martin, are portion of an $8bn woody for 66 F-16Vs approved during President Donald Trump’s archetypal term. They landed connected Friday pursuing months of hold owed to repeated requests from Beijing to the US to halt arming Taiwan.

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The jets, which flew via Hawaii and Guam, touched down astatine noon (04:00 GMT) section time. They arrived a week aft Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping successful Washington.

Taiwan is eyeing a rising subject menace from Beijing, ⁠which claims the democratically governed land arsenic its ain territory.

“Of people we won’t lone person delivered these 2 [F-16Vs] by the extremity of the year,” Minister of National Defence Wellington Koo said.

The accomplishment of the planes comes amid increasing interest successful Taiwan astir the Trump administration’s committedness to arming Taipei.

The US is bound by instrumentality to supply Taiwan with the means to ‌defend itself, but the 2 person nary ceremonial diplomatic relations.

Trump said successful May, aft gathering Xi successful Beijing, that helium was holding retired connected a caller $14bn bundle for Taiwan, though helium did o.k. 1 worthy $11bn successful December 2025.

Washington has said determination has been nary ‌change successful policy.

“We proceed lasting with friends ‌and allies crossed the Indo-Pacific to beforehand our shared prosperity, security, and values — that includes Taiwan,” a US State Department spokesperson said erstwhile asked astir the delivery.

The F-16Vs, which received an upgrade successful 2023, person precocious avionics, weapons and radar systems to amended ⁠counter the Chinese aerial force, including its  J-20 stealth fighters.

However, Washington has been unwilling to supply Taiwan with its astir precocious fighters, specified arsenic the F-22 oregon F-35.