Beijing has vowed to bring the self-governing island of Taiwan under its control, by force if necessary.

Beijing considers the democratic, self-governing nation of Taiwan its own territory, and the communist regime has not ruled out taking control of the island by force. Taipei rejects Beijing’s territorial claim.

Takaichi, in response to a November 2025 parliamentary question, said a hypothetical Taiwan contingency might constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, a designation that could enable her country to exercise its right to self-defense.

The Chinese regime, which claims Taiwan as a part of its territory, has been putting pressure on Taiwan with coercive tactics for years, including sending military aircraft and vessels to the vicinity of the self-ruled island.

China's defense ministry has not yet commented on the alleged surveillance balloon sightings in Taiwan.

self-ruled Taiwan.

Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) urged for the Taiwan Assurance Act (S.878) to be passed. Introduced by Cotton in March, the bill reaffirms the U.S. commitment to selling arms to Taiwan for its self-defense.

The United States does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Still, it is bound by the Taiwan Relations Act to provide the island with the arms necessary for self-defense and to prevent any unilateral changes to the status quo.

Since then, the United States has maintained a non-diplomatic relationship with Taiwan based on the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA). The TRA authorizes the United States to supply Taiwan with military equipment for the island’s self-defense.

Such a designation could permit the deployment of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. Takaichi has refused to retract the statement. China responded with a sustained pressure campaign.

Taiwan, meanwhile, maintains a democratic government, thriving market economy, and legal agreements with the United States to purchase the weapons it needs to maintain its self-defense.

The scale of U.S. support sends a clear signal that Washington remains firmly committed to Taiwan’s self-defense and that the island’s military capabilities should not be underestimated. Second, the arms sale reinforces U.S. alignment with Japan.

TAIPEI, Taiwan—The United States has approved a potential $100 million sale of equipment and services to boost the island’s Patriot missile defense system, amid China’s increasing aggression against the self-ruled island.

Taiwan has been a self-governing democracy since the Chinese civil war ended in 1949, but the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) views Taiwan as its own territory.

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Congress in 1979 and remains the legal foundation of U.S. policy to Taiwan today, the U.S. government is mandated to provide Taiwan with “defense articles and defense services” to an extent that Taiwan can maintain a sufficient self-defense capability

"And we will continue to support Taiwan's self-defense, consistent with our long-standing policy.

aggression toward Taiwan—a self-governing democracy that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) claims as its own and has not ruled out taking by force.

The United States, which recognized Beijing as the government of China in 1979, does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but U.S. law requires that it provide Taiwan with sufficient defense equipment and services for self-defense.

The self-ruled island responded by issuing radio warnings and deploying air defense missile systems to monitor the Chinese warplanes.

From the position of the United States, while it has agreed not to unilaterally champion the island’s independence, it’s legally bound by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 to provide the island with the arms it needs for its self-defense.

Losing Taiwan to China would be a disaster for the United States, and Washington needs to do more for the self-ruled island’s defense, a former U.S. diplomat said. “If Taiwan falls into Chinese hands, Japan is totally isolated. It’s cut off.

The United States doesn't have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan but is bound by a treaty to provide it with the arms necessary for its self-defense.

Soldiers move past a self-propelled howitzer during a military live-fire shooting training in Taichung City, Taiwan, on June 9, 2026.

to exercise collective self-defense.

The United States switched diplomatic recognition to the People's Republic of China from Taiwan in 1979, but the Taiwan Relations Act, passed shortly after, provides for de facto diplomatic relations with Taiwan and provision for its self-defense needs

China’s military launched a new round of war games around Taiwan on Oct. 14, deploying planes and ships around the self-ruled island in what Bejing described as a "stern warning" to "separatist" forces.

The CCP views Taiwan as part of its territory to be taken by force if necessary. Rejecting the claim, the self-ruled, democratic Taiwan has pledged to defend its freedom.

The United States does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan but is bound by the Taiwan Relations Act to provide it with the arms necessary for its self-defense.