Taiwan Rushes to Sign U.S. Arms Deals as Approval Deadline Looms

Taiwan's defense ministry says it must sign a major U.S. weapons deal by March 26. The deal is for 82 advanced rocket launchers. The system is called HIMARS, short for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. It is a key weapon for long-range strikes. Officials received the formal U.S. offer, known as a Letter of Offer and Acceptance. Defense Minister Wellington Koo Li-hsiung revealed the deadline on Tuesday. He spoke before a legislative session. Koo said the HIMARS deal is one of five pending U.S. arms purchases. All require approval from Taiwan's lawmakers. The urgent timeline comes amid a political delay. Taiwan's legislature has not yet passed this year's full defense budget. This gridlock is holding up the formal signing of these contracts. If the deals are not signed before their expiration dates, Taiwan may need to restart negotiations with the United States. This could cause significant delays in strengthening the island's defenses.