Former defence chief: Taiwan could pay "unthinkable" price for US weaponry

A former Taipei official has warned that Taiwan could face dire ramifications if it accepts free weapons from the US due to a stand-off with Beijing. Feng Shih-kuan, who served as Taiwan’s defense minister from 2016 to 2018, warned that if Taiwan accepted such free aid, they would need to pay a certain unthinkable price. Taiwan’s Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng stated that the island was negotiating with the Pentagon on receiving weapons worth $500 million, which would be free of charge and not deducted from the purchase list. An unnamed Taiwanese military source told the South China Morning Post that the US military aid would include Stinger portable air defense systems, TOW 2B Aero and Javelin anti-tank missiles. China has condemned US arms supplies to Taipei, claiming that such moves turn the territory into a powder keg and warning of consequences for those who interfere in Beijing’s internal affairs.