Will China let Taiwan buy F-35 jets with ‘custodial fee’ demanded by Trump?

US: Taiwan is exploring the possibility of acquiring F-35 fighter jets and other advanced US weapons, but pundits are skeptical that the plan will be able to address Washington’s long-standing concerns that the military technology will fall into the hands of the People’s Liberation Army. According to a recent report from the Financial Times, Taipei has approached President-elect Donald Trump’s team about buying up to US$15 billion worth of advanced weapons to demonstrate its commitment to self-defence. The report, based on information from multiple unnamed sources in Taiwan and the US, suggests the island could request up to 60 F-35s, four E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft, 10 decommissioned Aegis-equipped warships and 400 Patriot missiles.

The reported purchase discussions follow repeated demands by Trump during the election campaign for Taiwan to pay a “security fee” and increase defence spending to 10 per cent of its GDP from the current 2.45 per cent. Trump has also expressed concern over Taiwan’s global dominance in the semiconductor manufacturing sector, alleging that it has “taken 100 per cent of America’s chip business”. In May last year, a senior Taiwanese military official had confirmed for the first time that Taiwan had sought the F-35 but that the US had refused to sell. Part of the fighter’s appeal for the Taiwanese air force is that it doesn’t need a runway to take off, so it will remain operational even if the island’s airports are destroyed.

Trump’s persistent calls to increase defence spending are seen by the island’s lawmakers and military experts as a potential opportunity for a high-stakes arms deal. The Trump administration previously approved a record $18.27 billion in arms sales to Taiwan — compared with the $14 billion approved during Barack Obama’s eight-year presidency and the $7.7 billion authorized so far by President Joe Biden.